Riddle
by Amaidaisuki
Summary: Natsuki is witness of an event that puts in doubt the innocence of her brother, Light. Making her to start overthinking and starting to believe of her brother as a suspect. Natsuki is doubtful and wants to clear that her beloved brother is not a murderer.
1. Suspicion

(A/N) Heya! Well this is the chapter one of _Riddle_. And I'm planning to make other chapters that I must be updating every week, though sometimes I'm like, writting faster and the updates would be sooner.. Or maybe not. I really appreciate reviews, sooooo.. I hope you like it! (Also, I own my OC that's Light's sister. And obviously I don't own Death Note -.- )

* * *

Light turned his head slightlly when he heard someone knocking then door of his room. Ryuk issued a curious hum torwards it. He was being observed by L via the cameras he had installed on his room, his plan of doing homework as he killed people as Kira was working very well thanks to the potato chip's bag. Although it would be just minor criminals.

"Light. Are you busy?" Natsuki asked, standing on the other side of the door.

"Ah, yes. But give me a minute." Light wrote some other names and fixed the hour of death while he attended his almost same-aged sister on whatever she wanted. He then stood up from his desk and opened the door.

The dark brown haired teen with lightly yellow eyes smiled at his brother. "Can I borrow a book?" She asked innocently, stepping inside Light's bedroom and quickly exanimating it. "I need your math guide and I know you have good literature here." She walked closer to the shelf with books that his brother had in his room.

"Of course. Since you like fiction in the last column I have some that I'm sure you'll like." He replied, monotone. Waiting for his sister to get out of his room being that he was clearly being a discomfort for Kira. Ryuk just watched the moment, quite bored of it because he's mind right now was craving and apple.

Natsuki already had the math guide resting in her lap so she crouched and hummed happily, rosing her fingers throught the books on the last column Light had there. "I think this will work." She picked up Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë. "I don't think I've read it yet. Thank you, Light." She said before smiling briefly and stepping out of the room as she closed the door behind her.

Light returned to his labour as Kira and his equations, eating potato chips as he do so.

"Don't be Kira, please." Natsuki said under her breath, looking at the door of Light's bedroom. She had been on the train station where Raye Penber died, she was heading to visit her best friend who lived far away from her home, and what Natsuki saw left her without breath. She saw Light, her blood brother, standing inside of the train wagon with a folder and watching how the other man was struggling on the floor. You can say she was very observant. Part of the girl was scared to believe that she had such a cold hearted brother but to see that the wife of the man, Naomi, was sure that Kira was the one who killed him. She started her own secret little investigations about all the theme, because now that there was a slight possibility that his brother was a suspect she wanted to clear it out to prove that it wasn't right. Although very deep inside, she knew that what she was really happened and it wasn't normal at all.

In her brief moment inside of Light's room and her quick exanimate of it, she didn't say anything out of normal. All was in its place, but if he were Kira of course he would be careful about what he's doing. She had to dig more on the case. All this thoughts were troubling Natsuki's mind as she went back to her room and started her own homework, trying to focus on it the most she could.

"Yagami-san." L called, staring wide-eyed to the TV screen where he could see everything that happened on the Yagami's house.

"Yes, Ryuzaki?" Soichiro Yagami took a step forward to the chair where L was sitting.

"Would you mind if Natsuki Yagami joins to the investigation?" He asked, turning his head to watch on another of the many TV's, Natsuki in her room resolving math problems.

"What?!" The father of the girl said surprised. "Natsuki? Why do you want her?" He questioned L, why Natsuki? Why now?

"I'm interested on what information she could have about Kira." L replied, being aware of what Natsuki said when she was out of Light's room.

The NPA's boss thought for a moment. Natsuki? Information about Kira? But how? He didn't know nothing of what Natsuki had been witness of because her brother and her were very attached, they often had intellectual talks which pleased both of them, and that's why Natsuki didn't told her father about Light and Mr. Penber. She was forcing herself to believe that Light couldn't be Kira and that she had to prove it to herself.

"Very well, Ryuzaki." The older man nodded.


	2. Meeting

Reading Jane Eyre, the sheets wrapped around her waist as she lied on bed. Natsuki's attention on the book was stolen by the ring of her phone. It was her father.

"Hi, dad! What's up?" She said happy that her father called, though she knew it would be a short call. He was busy working in the Kira case, right?

"Hi, dear." Her father started to say, and the proceed to tell her that she needed to go to the building which adress was sent on a message, to meet him there.

"Oh? Well, sure dad! But.. There's something else I should know?"

"Everything's okay. And when you get here you can ask whatever you want. For now, just hurry up and try to not to say no one that you're heading to this building yes?"

"Uhm, fine. I'll do that. See ya." Her dsd hung up and she snapped her phone close.

After a few minutes she had arrived to where her dad directed her. It was a big building and she had still no idea of what was she going to do there.

"Natsuki-chan!" A voice called. She turned her head to see a man, not more taller than her with black hair and a suit on. "I work with your father. My name's Matsuda."

"Nice to meet you Matsuda-san." She said, extending her hand for a hand shake that Matsuda quickly responded.

"We have to get in, follow me."

Natsuki wanted her questions to be answered but she just nodded her head once and followed the man that guide her into the building.

"So why I am here?" She asked looking at Matsuda when they were on the elevator.

"Uh, I don't know if I can answer that.." He grinned awkwardly, scratching his head. "Well, L needs your help."

When he said those words there was an awkward silence. Natsuki just couldn't believe them, first she took it as a joke and frowned. Why would someone joke about that? But then, maybe it was true. It could be true, though she just met this man called Matsuda. Should she believe him? He said he works with her father so it wouldn't be probable that he wanted to joke with the daugther of his boss.

"L?" She repeated out loud as the door of the elevator opened.

"Yes, L." He nodded.

"You kidding me, aren't you?" She raised and eyebrow torwards him.

"No, no. Am not. It's true!" He clarified, his voice being honest.

Now the questions she had where a slight higher amount.

Matsuda and her walked into a room where there were a group of people. But the long black haired guy that was sitting with his legs up his chest in front TV's screens was the one that catched her attention. Who was him?

"Natsuki.." She heard her father's voice as he approached to her and embraced her.

"Dad!" She returned the hug. "Now can I know what am I doing here?" She asked as she pulled away.

"You're here to help me to catch Kira" The black haired guy chimed in, standing up his chair to face her. "I am L." He said inmediately, going right into the point.

Natsuki was kind of shocked, they stared at each other. L with his usual wide eyes who seemed to be looking up at her thanks to the notable hump he had and Natsuki trying not to feel uncomfortable by those black-rimmed eyes with bags under them.

On the awkwardness of the moment he extended his hand, wanting to shakes hers with his. She exanimated it, aterrizing to earth, and shook it firmly.

"L... It's an honour to meet you." Natsuki said slowly, trying not to look like a idiot.

"The feeling is mutual." He said, "but please, call me Ryuzaki."

"Okay then, Ryuzaki." The corners of her lips curved on a smile. She was really meeting the century's greatest detective, L. Also, the TV's L had on the room, they catched her attention because it was Light's room what he was observing. She tried to make an order of her thoughts; fisrt, help to catch Kira what was he said and he was observing Light.. Obviously, there's a connection there. I mean, he can't be just creeping on Light's life. Second; that means that he heard what she say when outside of Light's room and he deduced she knew something. Darn, the fact that he's watching him means he suspects of Light, too, right? Right.

"Also, could the rest of you leave for the moment? I'd like to have a private conversation with Natsuki-chan." L said, and the other nodded without hestitating but her father, they left the room anyway. The next he did was calling Watari to ask him the favor of watching Light while he talked to Natsuki. "Please take a seat."

"Thanks." She sat on a sofa where L was sat in front of her in his usual and kind of rare position, it was how a child would sit but giving that he's an adult it was weird for Natsuki.

"Natsuki Yagami, do you have a suspicion about your brother, Light Yagami, don't you?" He asked directly, taking the plate with a piece of strawberry cake that were in the table that separate them.

"I-I... I'm not really sure" She managed to say, almost honestly. Although, lying about it wouldn't help her at all.

"If I recall well, when you were on the hallway of your home you said; Don't be Kira, please." He knew that she already had seen the TV's screen showing Light's room and the Yagami house so he didn't bother on explain the topic.

"Yeah, I did say that.. But.." She paused for a moment, she couldn't just acuse her brother was Kira without digging on more information.

"Natsuki-chan, do you want to catch Kira?" He asked, eating the strawberry of the cake.

"Yes, I do." She simply said. Looking anywhere else but L's eyes.

"Then, you're knowledge on this matter would be very helpful if you share it."

Natsuki sighed heavily, dropping her shoulders. She decided to not start an argue where she knew she would easily lose before the wise L.

She told him the anecdote and everything she saw, as she explained every single detail; L brought his thumb to his mouth pushing sligthly against the upper lip and a moments after, started to bite it softly as a sing that he was thinking and thinking.

"Thank you for sharing your information." L said, gratefully, when she finished talking. For now, he kept all his deductions of his mind but the percent was higher now that he knew what was Raye Penber staring at when he died. L then lowered his gaze, noticing that she has not touched her piece of cake. "Are you gonna eat that?" He asked of a sudden.

"Hunh-" She looked at his now empty plate and at hers. "Yeah," She looked at him. "I like cake." She confessed like a child would. Taking her plate and with the fork she started to eat it.

"Very well." He stood up and sat on the chair that was in front of the many televisions, focusing again on Kira.


	3. New Feelings

About a week has happened since Natsuki met L. Right now it was already nigh and she was laying in bed, looking at the ceiling, she replayed all the moment when she met L for herself. It still stunned her how things happened so fast.. But.. What was more stunning was that Light could be Kira.. No, Light was Kira. If the century's greatest detective had Light as the only suspect then it had to be him.

Now, Light and his sister were working with L. Light's face when he discovered Natsuki joined to the team first was a bit hilarious for her.

Then that thought hit her, Natsuki sat on her bed and closed her eyes slowly. L mentioned that if he died in the next days that meant that Light was Kira. What hit her so hard was that simple words 'If L died in the next days'. He couldn't die, though there was a chance. It made her worry when she thought about L dying. That can't happen, not while she's near to him. Why she was being so protective? This was horrifying her. Yeah, the guy was kinda.. Cute and she always found intelligence attractive but she had just met him.

"That's out of the question." Natsuki mumbled and shook her head once slowly. There was no time for feelings or whatever, she had to help him catch Kira.

* * *

"Light, what would you do if you could have Kira's powers?" Natsuki asked as they were walking out of classes.

"Kira's powers? Well, yes I'd try to make a better world but that'd be the hardest work ever and.. Who am I to decide who lives and who dies?" Light shrugged as he heard Ryuk snickering behind him. "What would you do?" He asked back.

"Hm." She thought for a moment. "I'm not sure, y'know. The idea of making a better world is good but you're right, that judgement doesn't belong to us but to God." She replied, looking forward the way out of the college.

"Light-kun, Natsuki-chan!" L called him as he walked forwards them, his hands on his pockets and walking slouch.

"Oh, hey Ryuga." Light turned to face him.

"Hi, Ryuga-san!" Natsuki greeted him with a small smile. She had to remember; Ryuzaki for work and Ryuga in the college. Also the fact that L was still older than her so she was respectful.

"Please stay just with Ryuga." L said to her.

Natsuki gave him one nod in response, her smile still on her lips. Light was slightly staring at her.

"What?" She quickly noticed he was staring at him and she looked at his brother with a brow cocked.

Light scoffed realizing Natsuki's thoughts. "Nothing." He smiled momentanealy.

"Are you guys heading to home already?"

"Yes. I have homework." Light retorted.

"But I don't. So no, why'd you ask?" Natsuki looked back at the black haired boy.

"I was gonna get a some cake. Would you like some?"

"Yep, sure. I like cake." She said like the other day.

"Right.. I'll leave you two then." Light walked away.

"Eh, Light. What's with your sister?" Ryuk asked.

"So you noticed it, too? I'm rather impressed, Ryuk. I thought you wouldn't understand human love."

"I noticed what you did when she was talking to the other guy but I never said I did understand it."

"Huh. Well, you see, Ryuk. My sister being in the team with me and L could be more useful than I thought now that I know this. She feels attracted to L, Ryuk."

"Really? This is gonna be entretaining." Ryuk said, knowing that Light would use that on his favor.

"Indeed, Ryuk."

* * *

"So, have you discovered anything else about Kira?" L asked, pulling the fork out of his mouth.

"I asked him some innocent questions. Though, I know he's a good actor." Natsuki brought the fork with a piece of cake in it into her mouth. She did a pause and ate it, starting to talk again, "but if I get to register his room while he's not in there would give me more information."

"What kind of innocent questions did you made?"

"Well.. 'What would you do if you had Kira's powers?', 'what do you think are Kira's magical ways to kill people?', 'how did Kira get that ability?' Something like that." She shrugged one shoulder. "And I'm curious of nature so it wouldn't be weird if I ask that many questions in just one minute."

"Yes, I believe they're 'innocent'. Now that you started with all of it it would be weird if I tell you to give him space since you say it's your natural behaviour and he would find something rare in it, so keep like that." L suggested eating another piece of his cake.

"You're right. I'll keep asking the crap out of him." That was a good way to say it, genius, Natsuki thought. L had finished his cake faster than her so he just waiter for her. "Uhm, so.." She swallowed a big portion of cake. What else they could talk about but the Kira case? "How are you?" She aksed without thinking twice.

"I'm rather well, thanks. You?" L asked as she finished her cake.

"I'm great. I think I must be leaving right now, the sooner I go the sooner I'll get to your apartment." She paused roughly, that didn't sound too well. "You know, to catch Kira and all." She smirked. Play it cool, she repeated in her head.

L nodded and stood up, "I must go, too."

"See ya later." She waved and left the cafe where they were eating their deserts.


	4. Puppet

"Yes, Light?" Natsuki opened slowly the door that lead into Light's room that he had left open for her.

"Come in," Light replied, closing the windows he had opened in his computer. "It's about L and the Kira case." He turned to face her when she entered and sat on the corner of his bed. Ryuk was forced to moved away and next to Light.

"What's up?" She said, placing her hands on her knees and smiling at his brother.

"First off, since you met L first I think that means dad thinks you're the smartest huh?" He was obviously joking, to relax the environment.

"C'mon! Are you still jealous?" She joked along. "You know I'm at your same level."

Sadly for Light, it was true. Natsuki intellect and reasoning capacity was almost as his. Also, he knew she was always limited by her feeling which was a big flaw if she wanted to help L to catch Kira.

"Right." Light acted a smile. "Anyways, how was your 'cake date' with L?" He asked directly

Natsuki flinched when she heard the word 'date' and her cheeks turned in a shade of red. "D-date? It wasn't a date!"

Light thanked her lack of acting skills in his inner thoughts, it wouldn't allow her to keep many things as a secret.

Ryuk laughed at her reaction, his interest on the conversation growing notably.

"Okay then, it wasn't a date. Just two people on a café eating cake and talking." He insisted. Of course, he knew it was not a date he only wanted to know what they talked about.

"It wasn't a date, Light." She said again, this time her voice was in calm.

"Then what it was?"

Natsuki perfectly knew she couldn't tell him that she was secretly investigating him with L, if do that, and since there percent is higher than before, he wouldn't let her enter to his toom again. She looked around in silence, avoiding Light's question.

"Listen.. I know you like L." Light clearified.

She couldn't help, her cheeks turned on a dark shade of red. That made Ryuk laugh more.

"I don't like him. I just like how he solves his cases."

"Uh-huh." He crossed his arms, "Don't lie to me, Natsuki."

She let a sight escape out of her lips.

"Very well." She stood up and looked down at him, he was still sitting on the desk's chair. "I like Ryuzaki." To not say she was in love being that she had only met him and it was like an attraction to him but nothing else.

Light stood up as well. "I knew it, I just wanted to hear it from you."

"Well, you did. That's all?" She was obviously angry at him for making her do this. Truth be told, it was too childish of her.

"No.. It's not all. You suspect of me, don't you?" Light threw that out of nowhere, actually he didn't know but Natsuki's reaction would tell everything and it he wasn't a suspect he would just tell as an excuse that he was playing with her.

"Why would you ask that?" She answered with another question, being almost unreadable for Light. He was rather amazed by how she would be hiding what she doesn't want him to know.

A short silence followed that question.

'_I could use her_' He thought, they were attached so she wouldn't betray him and she would do what he tell her to do, right? Right. Her feelings wouldn't allow her to do something against her family even if it was the better.

"I am Kira." He confessed, like there were no cameras anymore on the house the only ones that could listen what he just said would be Ryuk, Natsuki and himself.

"… You…" She whispered, it shocked her.. it was like a cold bucket of water being thrown to her in the morning.. It was awful, unwanted and out of nowhere. She didn't wanted to hear those words. She wanted to push into her mind that everything was just a coincidence. "Kira?" She took an step back and exhaled deeply. And to think that he was acting all this time, he was a good actor that's for sure but.. This was a different performance. "… Show it."

"You really want me to kill someone?"

"No.. Of course not.. Is there another way?-Another way to prove your.. powers?"

"Cover your eyes."

"… No."

"Well then." He turned to face his desk and pulled out his wallet, pulling out one of the piece of page of the Death Note. He walked towards her. The piece of page touched her skin.

Natsuki's head slowly turned to see something she didn't notice on the room, her eyes widened and the pupil was as the size of a gram of sand.

"Holy shit! A Shinigami!" She said fascinated and amazed, staring at Ryuk, without moving or something. Unlike Light or other people, Natsuki was too into supernatural things and this was one of them. It didn't surprise her since she believed on Shinigamis though at a phase of her live she decided to think that they didn't existed.

"Whoa, Light. She didn't fall off the chair like you." Ryuk said amused and leaning closer Natsuki but talking to Light.

"How funny, Ryuk." Light rolled his eyes.

Natsuki tried not to freak out of excitement of being in the same room of a real Shinigami and focus.. His brother, Light, was Kira. He just shown to her his Shinigami and also, she noticed that she started to be able to see him when the skin of her hand and the piece of paper Light had, touched. She had to say this to L but how? She didn't wanted to believe it but now she had to, it was true. His brother was a murderer.

"Wait.. Why are you telling me this?" She asked, pronuncing every word slowly.

"Because you're my sister, and I felt the need of telling you the truth being that you are looking to put in jail your own brother." He said, clearly trying to manipulate her.

"You're in the investigation team, too." Natsuki remembered him like if it wasn't obvious.

"I know but.. It's just part of the plan."

"Plan of becoming the God of the new world." She said, repeating what L had said to her in what's Kira purpose. "I believe that does include kill everyone who gets in your way, right?"

"Yes, you're right, Natsuki."

"Does that include L?" She walked closer to Light, forgetting for a moment that Ryuk was right there.

"Certainly." He said, coldly.

"I won't let you do that."

"That's why I need you. There's no need of killing L if you just try to unfocus him of his goal, also it would be needed to know his name and I think you can get it."

"No, he won't stop until he catches Kira. And why d'you need his name?"

Ryuk let out an intentional laugh.

"What's so funny, Ryuk?" Both Light and Natsuki said at the same time. Light acting like if he didn't know.

"Don't lie to me." She said, "and tell me, now that you're being so open with me."

"I just want to know my enemy's name. He knows mine but I don't know his."

"You'll kill him if you know his name."

"Good to see that you're not as blind as I thought. No, I won't if you do what I tell you. It's all for good, Natsuki. You're my sister support me on this one."

"When I haven't?" She could gain time acting and tell L that he was right; Light is Kira. But first she had to find out what was his method to kill people. She cursed her low acting skills on her mind, although she was acting pretty well. Everything to protect L. "I won't tell L about this, just don't kill him."

"Trust me." Light smiled, if she was acting or not he actually didn't care, as long as he gets L's name and gets rid of him once for all.

They talked for a long time, Natsuki throwing questions and questions about the Death Note that Light decided to show to her, he also let her took it and examinate it, she read almost all the rules as Light watched her. She was his ally now. Natsuki also spent some minutes talking with Ryuk before she went to bed, she now knew he liked apples and he told her stuff about the Shinigami World. It was better to hear it from someone who was there than from books.


	5. Sweets

"Light, don'tcha think telling Natsuki your secret wasn't a good idea?" Ryuk commented suddenly as Light killed more and more criminals.

"She's my sister, Ryuk. I know how she is and she wouldn't be able to betray her family. She's too sentimental and even if she likes Ryuzaki, I can use our memories as siblings to force her to do what I want" Light said with an amused tone, still writing on the death note. "Why do you care, anyway? You said you weren't on my side neither on L's."

"I know what I said, I was just being curious."

'_I see. She must be now with L, I used the excuse that I had tons of homework so she'll be my eyes and at the same time, luckily, she'll get L's real name._' Light thought and grabbed one of the apples that his sister had left for Ryuk and tossed it to him.

"You seem in a good mood, Light. What if she doesn't get the name? Maybe the guy'll start suspecting about her." Ryuk bit his apple.

"You said that like if you wanted to put my mood down, Ryuk. Anyways, that won't happen, she's smart enough to just not going to ask away a lot of weird things until she gets his name. I know Natsuki will wait for the right moment. I have to be patiente but it's gonna be worth it."

"Heh. I see." Ryuk bit and bit his apple until it was nothing but the core.

* * *

'_I'm doomed._' Natsuki repeated on her mind. Everything was happening so fast for her. Just in the same year; she met L, worked with him, discovered that L was right about her brother and met a Shinigami. Also, if Light knew she felt attracted to L then obviously L knew as well. That didn't matter right now, anyway. It was like if she was helping Kira and L at the same time. She couldn't betray any of them. She needed to think about it but in some time when she was not with L.

"So, you take calories to your brain? I should start doing that." Natsuki joked, eating the chocolate cookies Watari had brought for her. Now he had two sweet-loving persons to buy all kind of sweets.

"Yes." He nodded. "But, Natsuki-chan, by looking at you I thought you knew that already." L retorted, he noticed Natsuki blushed slightly but recovered quickly. He was eating a banana split which half was waiting to be eaten.

"Oh.. Why thanks. I do exercise so I can eat all the sugar I want. May I?" She asked pointing her spoon to the cornor of his banana split since she finished her cookies, it weren't that much anyway and L's food seemed tempting.

"Sure." He hesitated and then nodded once as he pushed the plate to the middle between them. "Natsuki-chan, even if I feel we're getting closer to solve this case, I still think there's a lot to discover."

Yep, Kira's ways to kill that Natsuki knew very well since she read all the rules of the Death Note and still she kept her mouth shut. The last thing Natsuki wanted was L to die. Also, if Light had sent Ryuk to watch her she could notice it since she touched one of the fragments of the Death Note. '_Light must trust me, we're family after all…_'

"I think the same." Natuski and L were staring at the monitors in front of them that had all the information of the criminals that had died just this week and the ones that keep dying. Kira has been busy.

"Have you recollected more information of Light-kun?" Their spoons touched being that they both were going to eat the same part of the dessert. Natsuki instantly moved her spoon to other place and thought on what could she answer. But L didn't move his spoon, he digged an amount and took it to his mouth.

"He's a suspect, the only suspect but.. I don't know." She shrugged one shoulder and ate half spoon of the banana split cream.

"Hm. Is something wrong?" He rolled the position of his chair to see face her.

"Uh, Ryuzaki.. Can I ask you something? I know that the most possible is that you won't answer but.. Hunh, what's your name?" There goes Light's patiente. "I mean your real name." She added.

L was quiet for a moment, thoughtfully and bitting his thumbnail. "Why would you want to know my name?"

"I know you have to hide your name and all- I was just asking out of curiousity and I'd like to know the real name of the person I like…" She was talking quickly and barely thought of the words that were coming out of her mouth.

"You like me?" He asked curiously, that certainly took him out of his thoughtfully trance.

"Y-yeah. I mean, like friends y'know. Heheh." She smirked awkwardly.

She couldn't really tell what was happening. Although it seemed like L was organizing everything she had said in his mind which wasn't good for her since she was just going fast and asking and admitting things she shouldn't.

"You would be my second friend before Light-kun." He said, breaking the silence he had started.

"He was your first _friend_?" She asked surprised.

"Indeed." He nodded his head. "Natsuki-chan."

"Yes, Ryuzaki?" She took another spoonful of the banana split.

"Did you discover that Light-kun is Kira?" He asked abruptly just when she finished her word, like if he was to hurry up like to wait for her to finish it.

She almost choked but tried to control. '_That's why I can't be actress._' She thougt, swallowing thickly the content of the spoon. She really felt very stupid, even if had passed a days since Light revealed to her it was obvious she just couldn't hide something.

"No…" She lied, horribly. Her heart was racing, what if he thinks she's helping him? What if he thinks that she wants him dead just as Light?

"…"

Silence. Awful and awkward silence.

"No.. Yes.." She sighed, looking down in disappointment of herself for lying to L. Although such thing didn't work and wasn't going to work. She wasn't at his level. Not even Light's. "But I wanted your name not because he practically forced me to do it but because.. I wanted to know since the beginning.. Though, I knew you wouldn't say it. I thought I could ask you and I wouldn't say to no one. Because.. Ireallylikeyou." She mumbled the last words she said, almost waiting a kind of mercy for saying that though it was true.

L started to bit his thumbnail again and sinked on his thoughts. Now he knew who Kira was everything was going to be a bit easier. But.. What about Natsuki, she knew too much and seeing that she doesn't' know how to act she couldn't hide it from Light. But she didn't wanted to kill L, she didn't wanted to be on Kira's side. She must had managed to act before L and such performance should've been perfect since Light believed it. Or maybe he didn't. '_Light knows her weakness. And of course he forced her. It's true that she likes me.. He threatened her perhaps it was an undirected threat, but he's going to kill me once he gets my name anyways. And maybe Natsuki-chan is going to get killed as well. If she knows this much of information about Kira and if Light-kun realizes she was just faking that she was on his side.. Then he'll kill her, he has killed all these people without_ _remorse. But.. Would he kill someone who betray him, even if it was family?_'

It was starting to get unconfortable with all these silence for her.

"Natsuki-chan," He said when he was finished with his thoughts. "We have to plan something about this. Light-kun can't know this, he has to keep thinking that you're helping him. Things can get worse. And about my real name, just tell him that you haven't had luck to get it yet."

"Understood." She gave him one nod.

"You must feel overwhelmed, knowing what's going on in each side of the story."

"Actually, yes. I have to act with both of you and the same in school, like if I didn't know nothing about Kira or L. And like everyone's talking about that it's weird to just keep quiet when I can answer the most of their questions. I think I haven't been myself since I joined this investigation."

"You could quit if you feel in danger or too much under pressure."

"I never said that, Ryuzaki."

"Also, I'm not going to ask you about how Kira kills people, that'd only make me more curious about it and given the situation we have to wait to catch him. "

"Okay."

They finished eating the dessert on silence, though L ate more than Natsuki. Suddenly she felt like without appetite of sweets.

"Lawliet."

"Huh?"

"My real name is Lawliet."

She didn't get it when he first said it since she was thinking on something else and was unfocused but now it was shocking.

"R-Really?"

"Yes? Why would I lie to you about it?"

It was smart, now he had fulfill her wish but he didn't reveal his complete name so Light wouldn't be able to kill him even if Natsuki tells him.

"L is Lawliet." Makes sense. "Thanks for trusting me." She, shyly, got near and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek as she blushed.

He stared at her. "You're welcome, Natsuki."

She could see a little smile there, on L's face.


	6. Ally

"Misa will get L's name for Light!" Misa said happy and determinated to be useful for Light.

This will be easier that Light had thought.

"Thanks, Misa." Light smiled.

"Everything for you Light!"

"Misa will not be in danger, will she?" Rem asked, staring down at Light.

"Easy, Rem. She'll be safe as long as L doesn't suspects of her." Light said honestly, of course acting it being that he didn't care at all.

"If he's as smart as you say, and already has you as a suspect. He'll suspect of Misa as well."

Light smiled with confidence. "Right. But I personally don't believe he'll suspect of her. No one has seen us together anyway."

"Very well-"

"Also, nothing wrong will happen to Misa." Misa smiled widely

Ryuk stared at the empty basket where Natsuki's apples should be.

"Hey, Light!" Ryuk chimed in.

"Yes, Ryuk?" Light had to stop what he was saying to Misa and turned his head to Ryuk.

"Where's Natsuki?"

"Ryuk, it's already late." Light said, knowing Ryuk had been staring at the door and the basket waiting for Natsuki to enter with his so beloved apples.

"I care not." Ryuk walked and trespassed the walls, heading to Natsuki´s room.

* * *

"No but seriously.. Why does that matter?" Natsuki asked to her friend, Ai, as they talked on the phone.

"You don't understand because you already have a boyfriend. A weird one but it's a boyfriend! What do you see in that Ryuuga guy?" Ai rolled on her bed to look at the ceiling as she frowned.

"I told you he is _**not**_ my boyfriend! We're just friends!" Natsuki rubbed her face with her hand, trying not to blush at that word.

"Uh-huh. I saw you two going out the campus together!"

"That doesn't mean anything! I go out of the campus with my brother almost everyday!"

"But you don't look at Light in the way you look at Hideki-san!"

"What the heck are you—" Natsuki stopped abruptly when she saw the Shinigami entering to her room by the walls. "Eh.. I gotta go, Ai."

"Don't you dare to hung up when I'm fucking mad." Ai said just after Natsuki hung up saying that she was sorry. "Ugh.."

"Hey, Natsuki." Ryuk greeted her placing on the center of her room.

"Ryuk, what d'you want?" Natsuki left her phone in her desk to see the bag with apples lying there and she instantly knew why he was there. "Oh crap, I'm sorry! I totally forgot to give them to you." She took out one apple of the bag and threw it at Ryuk who grabbed it and started eating it happily.

"You came here just for your apples, eh?" Natsuki smirked, she never thought a God of Death would be so dependent of red apples.

"Yeah." Ryuk ate all the apple in just matter of minutes. "Oh, also.. Light's waiting for L's name, ya know." He said, although Light had his plan of using Misa Amane to get L's name.

"Oh, right. L's name." Natsuki sat on her bed and rubbed her neck. She must act to Ryuk as well. "And by the way.. Am crazy or I heard a girl on Light's room minutes ago?" She tried to change the topic of conversation.

"It's Light's new girlfriend." Ryuk took another apple of the bag and looked at Natsuki. "She'll help him with the name of the guy." He said, carelessly.

Natsuki's eyes grew wider. "Who is she?"

"Why you don't go and look it by yourself?"

* * *

"Light!" Natsuki knocked his door, it was locked as always.

Light opened the door as he noticed Ryuk came into his room again trespassing the walls. Natsuki, carrying the bag with apples, stepped into the room without waiting Light's approval and put the apples on the basket. She looked at the blonde girl and recognized it immediately. "Misa Amane?!" Her eyebrows were up to her hairline in surprise.

"Nice to meet you! You are..?"

"I'm Light's sister, Natsuki." She extended her hand which Misa took and shook it.

"Oh! It's nice to meet Light's sister!" Misa smiled. "Why you brought so many apples?" She asked curiously, tilting her head and thinking Light liked them.

"Ah, they're for Ryuk." Light said after he closed the door.

"Oh so you're sister knows everything?"

"Indeed-"

"I want you to meet Rem!" Misa cut Light off and took out her Death Note for Natsuki. "There. Grab it so you can see my Shinigami."

"Uh.. Okay.." Natsuki, surprised by the fact that there was another notebook of those, slowly reached it and when it was in her hands she could see a God of Death standing behind Misa. "Oh.. Rem was your name, right?"

"Yes. I'm Rem."

Light really didn't like how Misa was so fast on showing her Death Note. Anyways, it was because she already knew about Ryuk.

"Well, I think I'll leave you two alone for whatever you're.. doing." Natsuki smiled awkwardly. "It was a pleasure to meet you both, Misa and Rem. Light, you don't mind if I take Ryuk for a few minutes, I'm gonna do something special with his apples and I want him to see it."

Light looked at her for a moment and then nodded once.

She walked quickly out of the room with Ryuk behind her and one apple on her had. She had some knifes on her bedroom so she didn't have to go to the kitchen.

"What're you doing, Natsuki?" Ryuk asked peering his head over Natsuki's to see her doing some kind of figure with the apple.

"Okay." Standing up her desk and making Ryuk take a step back, Natsuki showed him the apple that was transformed on his face.

"Whoa. All this family is super skilled on something huh?" Ryuk moved his head around the sculpture of himself. "You even did my earring." He pointed it with his finger.

"You're welcome." When Ryuk was about to took it from her hands she didn't let him. "No. You want this?"

"Yep." Ryuk nodded.

"Then tell me what are they planning."

Ryuk sighed and lay on her bed. "I didn't listen very well but.. You read all the rules right?"

"Yes, I did."

"Well, Misa Amane has the Shinigami eyes."

Natsuki's thought were all in order with that phrase. Because how someone that was so easily to get to show their Death Note was with Light? Her personality was different from his and he was with her just because she could help him with her special eyes. That's how they were going to get L's name. '_Lawliet.. No.. How? This can't be happening._' She thought, if Misa saw L's face then she would get his name and write it down in the notebook. That would be the end.

"Ryuk.."

"Hm?" He was still staring at the apple, he then looked up at her the girl was with a serious and angry face, with the apple with the form of his head on her hands as she held it out for him.


	7. Damn you

"You don't know how grateful I am, Ryuk." Natsuki smiled softly her eyes flickering, she opened a drawer and slowly put the little box that inside had what Ryuk had gave her after they had a long talk.

"Another apple would show how grateful you are." Ryuk said, remembering that she had left the bag with apples on Light's room.

She chuckled. "Tomorrow I'll buy more than usual but right now I think you should go with Light already." Natsuki told him, checking the hour on her wall clock.

"Yeah. Good night." At least he was being polite thanks to all the apples she was buying to him.

As soon as Ryuk left she pulled the box out of the drawer and took out its content, putting it into her pocket. She had to find a safe place to such an important thing.

"Hey, where are you going so late?" Her mom asked when she saw her walking downstairs and all dressed up.

"Ai called, she has a problem." Natsuki said as an excuse.

"What happened? Is she fine?" Asked Natsuki's mother worried.

"She's alone and starving and she doesn't know how to cook."

"Uh. Okay. If you're gonna spend the night there, tell me."

"Most likely I'll stay there. Bye, mom." She stepped out of the house and called a cab to go to the building that were their HQ.

It was a good excuse that she said she was gonna be with her friend, so she could stay up all night long with L, telling him all the news.

* * *

"I see."

"He's gonna kill you, Lawliet." She rubbed the back of her neck, worried for him. "Where's everyone by the way?"

"It's 2 a.m, Natsuki-chan. I told them to go to rest since they worked all the day."

"Good. Well, what're you gonna do about it?" She asked, so nervous about all this that she could start biting her nails. The only thing that stopped her from doing that was having on her pocket Ryuk's gift.

"Nothing." He said, calmly.

"Nothing?"

"Not right now."

"W-why? He's going to kill you!"

"No. Not while my name keeps as a secret and if I avoid the second Kira there's no way he'd know my name." He said,

Indeed. Natsuki was so altered because there was the chance Light could get Ryuzaki's real name that she wasn't even thinking.

"Yeah.. But.. Lawliet.. Why don't we catch Kira right now and finish this before you get killed? Or more people?!"

"I need to see with my own eyes Kira killing someone." Lawliet said, he had to be one hundred percent sure that Light was Kira and be witness of his ways to murder criminals.

'_Then I'll get the notebook and I'll show it to him_.' She thought, desesperated to make finish this cruel game. "Lawliet."

"Yes?"

"The more you get closer to solve this case.. The more are the chances that you'll get killed." She inhaled deeply and bit her bottom lip.

"Don't worry, Natsuki-chan."

They spend a lot of time talking even if Natsuki would have to go to sleep soon so she could be rested for tomorrow in the college. After some several hours she went to one of the floors of the building to get some sleep.

* * *

"Light!" Misa yelled cheerfully, which made Ryuga, Light and Natsuki turn their heads at the same time. "Hi, Light!" The model ran into his direction and hugged him. "I came to visit you!" She smiled widely.

'Oh shit, this is not good.' Natsuki thought, staring eye-widened between Misa and Lawliet. If she tells Light his real name they're screwed.

"Hi, Misa." NaLsuki waved at Misa.

"Light-kun.." L said, staring at Misa with his finger touching his upper lip. "I envy you."

After explaining why he was so jealous of Light for having Misa as girlfriend he introduced to Misa, she obviously reacted surprised, why would he gave her a fake name?

"Ryuga." Natsuki whispered, frowning. This was what she didn't wanted to happen. "We should go Ryuga. I told you of that new ice cream store, we should go." She grinned innocently.

That seemed like if she was helping Light. She would go away with L and Misa would tell Light Ryuga's name.

She was panicking, where did her brilliant IQ went?

"Very well." He nodded, knowing it was a lie since she never mentioned any ice cream store.

"She is." She told under her breath to Lawliet, as they got away from Light.

"What?" He turned his head to look at her.

"The second Kira."

"I know."

"... So you know you're dead?"

"If I had stayed there, Light-kun would have called Misa when she and I walked away but since you interrumpted he'll get my name easier and it won't stop him that you were there since he believes you're on his side, although, with what you have done right now.. It seems like you really are."

"..."

Damn straight.

"Goddammit." She growled, angry with herself for being so dumb and not able to razonalize on a moment of panic. "I'm sorry." She touched her pocket, it was still there Ryuk's possesion

"It's okay, he may not do it inmediately."

The brunette girl nodded a few times and licked her lips.

* * *

Natsuki watched the clock of her bedroom, then looking at the phone. It rang.

"Hello?"

"This is L."

"Thank God, you're fine."

"Light-kun is in his bedroom, isn't he?"

"Yes. Well, that's all right? Call me again in about an hour yes?"

"I'll do it." He hung up.

Natsuki told him, almost begged if he could call her every hour to know if he's fine. He has called her every single hour since she got home and if he didn't call for the next hour. She knew what she had to do.

Light laughed slightly

"Lawliet Landsford." He repeated, smiling cruelly. "I thought it would be a harder challenge to get his name." He had the Death Note open in front of him and his pen just a few centimeters of it. It would be so easy to kill him just now.

"So you're gonna murder him right now? All the fun will be over then." Ryuk complained, seeing how L and Light on an intellectual fight against each other was so entretaining for him.

"No, Ryuk. The fun will be just starting." He didn't write his name until later when he heard Natsuki's phone ringing.

"Lawliet?"

"Hello, Natsuki-chan."

"You still okay?"

"Yes, I am."

"Good." She sighed in relief. "What are you doing?" She asked just to make conversation.

"Right now, reading some files."

"Good, good. I'm.. I guess I'm just talking with you right now."

"Very well."

"Uh, so.. Lawliet.. When's your birthday?" She asked out of nowhere.

"October 13th."

"Oh, we're on September! It's close."

"Yes, I know."

"Are you gonna celebrate it?"

"I hardly thi-"

One.. Two.. Three.

"Lawliet?"

"..." No answer, just silence and then.. The sound of the phone hitting the floor. The worse thing crossed her mind.

"..."

"Lawliet!"

"..."

No. Please, no. She thought, her eyes watered.

She could hear Watari entering to the room, and trying to wake him up but in vain.

Her face was all in tears.

"Hello?" Watari grabbed the phone on the floor.

"... Watari ..." Her voice all broken, she dried her tears.

"Yes." He affirmed, trying to keep his voice steady and knowing Natsuki was aware of what happened, he then hung up.

"You bastard!" She yelled at the wall, refering to Light. "I'm gonna kill you."

Natsuki ran out of her room to Light's bedroom.

Literally, kicking the door and opening after she noticed it was locked. She was thankful she assited to those classes of Aikido. "What did you do?!"

"Calm down." Light said.

Ryuk was really surprised by how tough Natsuki was.

"Fuck... You." She said, looking at the floor. "You killed him."

"It has been always part of the plan, now calm down before mother comes here."

She walked closer to him.

"Thanks to you this happened." Light explained to her when she got closer. It was true, in part.

"Little shit.." She slapped him. "You're nothing but a psycopath murderer!" She yelled, pushing him roughly away from his desk as she took the Death Note. "Now, I shall go."

"Where are you going with that?" Light grabbed her by the arm to stop her from leaving. "That notebook is mine."

"I need to see L."

"You mean Lawliet."

".. Just let go."

"No until you give me the notebook."

Natsuki hesitated. '_What do I do?'_ but it was already known.

She turned like if she were going to give the notebook but she did something she learned on Aikido. Grabbing him by the wrist and using his own struggle against him then tossing him to the wall.

"Fucker." She ran away and took the keys of the car of his mother. Driving fast to the HQ.

"Lawliet!" She saw Watari covering him with a blanket, his eyes filled with tears that threatened to come out.

"Miss Natsuki."

She put her hand on her pocket and pulled out an eraser. Ryuk's gift. She knelt on the floor next to Lawliet, and placed the notebook on the ground.

"Miss Natsuki. What are you doing?"

"Give me a second Watari!" She yelled, "I really hope this works." She looked the last page Light used for Lawliet when she localised it she put the eraser on it, her hand shaking nerviously.

Watari stared carefully at her, her tears started staining the notebook's pages.

"Miss Natsuki.."

She sobbed disconsolately and then started slowly, erasing L's name from the notebook. When she was finished, she rested her head on his chest, crying quietly.

Light stepped into the room, he lowered his gaze to the floor where Natsuki was crying.

"I don't fucking care about your pathetic dream of being the God of the new world." She said, standing up with a killer sight. "I'll have revenge for this."

"I'm your brother, Natsuki."

"I feel ashamed for sharing the same blood."

Watari suddenly looked at L's body.

"Go away. He's dead. You happy? Yes. Now get the fuck out."

"The notebook?" Light held out one hand, wanting his Death Note back. He really didn't care about Watari's presence.

She took it from where it was lying on the floor and tossed it roughtly to him.

He turned and walked out of the place, smiling. It was all done, without L anymore here there was nothing that could stop him. Everything went as he planned, he was now even closer to become the God of the new world.

* * *

(A/N) I'll explain the eraser thing on the next chapter. But if you want to know already and you want spoilers then look for Death Note Vol. 00


	8. Hope and Successors

It was done. He was dead now. Maybe the Death Eraser didn't work on him or maybe Ryuk just lied to her so he could have his apples. How dumb of her to trust in a Shinigami. She refused to let Watari take Lawliet's body because very deep, she believed that he could came to live again.

"Why.." Natsuki whispered, staring at L's corpse. She put a hand on her mouth and slowly reached the blanket covering his head, she took it off his face. His eyes closed, it seemed that his death was not painful but peaceful. She, hesitantly, ran her own fingers throught his hair. She really liked him and she thought that maybe, just maybe, it could have been something more. It felt like if it was yesterday when she walked in that hotel room and shared a cake with him.

"Stop crying, Natsuki-chan." Lawliet suddenly said, standing up from the ground like if nothing had happened.

Natsuki's eyes widened to the side of a plate and her jaw dropped, she felt how her heart stopped beating. "B-but, y-y-you.. we-were.. A-and ki.. But.." She stammered like an idiot. 'Death eraser.' She thought, well that God of Death was to trust after all. It did work. So he was acting being dead when Light got into the room. She was now excited and happy instead of shocked. "Oh my! Lawliet!" She grinned ear to ear and threw herself at him, hugging him tigthly. "God, I-.. All this.. I missed you.."

Now he was the one shocked. "I was just gone for a minutes, I believe."

"Yeah but.. I thought you were dead."

"Me too. Why am I here?" He asked, now thinking why he was alive and not dead.

She picked up from the floor the Death Eraser and handed it to him. "I used that eraser. It's.. the Death Eraser."

"I see. If it's an eraser of death then Kira writes down the names of the person he'll kill, am I right?"

"Exactly. It's a notebook. The Death Note."

"Hm." He handed back the eraser to Natsuki and looked at Watari, who was staring at L, still a bit shoked but with joy. "Watari lock all the doors of this building. No one comes in, no one goes out."

Watari smiled softly and nodded, leaving the room.

"So I'll stay?"

"Certainly. Light-kun must think I'm still dead and that you'll stay here until my corpse it's taken to the cementery. Something that, apparently, you wouldn't let happen until a while." He said, sitting on the next he had fallen off with his knees on his chest. His thumb slightly pushing his upper lip, thinking about all this. "You'll stay here."

"Okay." Natsuki nodded and smirked.

"Also, now that I've been victim of Kira's powers. I need pieces to solve this puzzle and I think you might have them all. Care to share the information?"

"Of course." Natsuki was happy she finally could tell him about the Death Note and its rules. He was really like a child; he won't let her say anything until something really bad happens to him. Stubborn, he wanted to discover everything by himself or he just didn't wanted it to be that easy.

She told him everything, almost all the rules (the ones she had memorized, like the most importants for her), who was the second Kira, how Light knew his name, the Shinigamis and how she got the Death Eraser. Thank God she had that good relationship with Ryuk, because if she didn't, L would be right now on a grave.

"I see. Then it's something as simple as a notebook."

"Yeah, who would've known a notebook can be used like that." She shrugged one shoulder.

"It makes sense. Now that the Shinigamis are real they have to have a way to kill people, and those notebooks are perfect for that job."

"Y-yes. I guess." She said, staring at him with a soft smile.

"Natsuki-chan. What would you have done if the Death Eraser would have not work?"

"Erm.. I guess, I would've tried to stop Light but.. He would've killed me for sure. So, I'm not quite sure 'cause right now.. I would have done nothing but.. cry, y'know." She shrugged shyly.

"Well, I think I must tell you that if I die, it's not over yet. I have successors. So when something happens to me, they'll be ready to take L's place."

"There are more people as smart as you? I mean, you're a genius. Not too many people is like that." Natsuki scratched her head softly, not even she was worth of knowing L face-to-face.

"Yes, there are. Not in any place, but in The Wammy's House, you can call it an orphanage for 'smart' kids. There was where Watari took me when I was just a child." L told her, remembering when he was a tiny little boy, it was snowing and he remembered hearing bells.

Natsuki tried to imagine it, a place with more people like the greatest century's detective. That must be awesome, right? And also, she pictured Lawliet as a kid, with his long black hair and big eyes. 'He must have been… cute' she thought, with a little of doubt on that last word.

"Well, that's good. They're your backup and in that way Kira won't won just when he thinks he did. But.. nothing's gonna happen to you. Not again. Light thinks you're dead so in that way he'll just keep making up plans, basing everything on that false fact." Natsuki said, frowning slightly as she remembered that Light and Kira was the same thing. Yeah, it had happened a long time and she had to be used to it but.. Deep inside, they were brothers and she was attached to her family. Even though they just had the biggest fight and she knows he's a psycho murderer.. She can't just break that connection they have. Or she thinks they do.

"Exactly. We can keep it as a secret, just you, me and Watari. Of course the team but... I don't want any of them to screw it up and accidentally give Light-kun a hint that I'm still alive. That'd be easy since he's pretty smart." He said, referring to Matsuda.

Pretty smart. That was just underrated.

"Then Light will happen to be in charge.. And at the same time.. The second L." Natsuki wasn't pleased with that. Her brother didn't deserve be called L and that would just make everything way too easy for him as Kira.

"One of my succesors will take my place. Although, I haven't chose who will be yet." L put his thumb on his lips.

Natsuki's light yellow eyes wandered for the place, thinking. "Well.. I could.. help you, maybe? I mean, if you want to.. I know you don't need help on that but- Just in case, you know. I take decisions quickly." Most of the time.

"That could be helpful, thanks." He said and took one of the microphones, calling Watari, he must be already on the control room. "Watari, can you made a videocall to Wammy's? Tell them I want to speak to Near and Mello."

"Immediately, L." Watari replied to him, in matter of about a minute one of the screens of the many monitors they had there light up and showed two boys.

One was a blonde haired guy with blue eyes, wearing black leather clothes and a rosary. He was stood up, leaned against the wall and eating… a bar of chocolate? Almost looking like if he didn't care what would happen.

The other.. The other boy was, obviously, more different. White haired and gray eyes, sitting down the floor, hugging a leg to his chest while the other was just lying on the floor. Wearing a white long-sleeved pajama top and white pajama pants. He was solving a white puzzle, very focused on it.

The only thing this two guys shared was that they weren't looking at the camera nor showing any interest on it.

"This is L." The synthetic voice said.

No reaction from the boys.

Natsuki thought that it didn't make sense to said that being that they must know very well who's L. And the calligraphic of an L floating on the laptop screen should be the only hint they need. Anyways, she won't said anything to judge since it was unnecessary.

"Near. Mello." L paused. "I need your help."

Mello looked right at the camera and bit his chocolate bar, that was the only sound it came from the room.

Natsuki just kept quiet besides Lawliet and stared curiously at Mello and Near.

"As you may know, I'm working on the Kira case and it has become certainly hard thanks to the recent events that has happened. For the record, Kira thinks I'm dead right now. On a grave to be exact." L explained, "So if I keep solving the case, he should notice someone's interfering with his goal and.. Who else but the guy that was being a pain for him while ago?"

"You will finally choose the successor?" Mello asked.

"Although I'd like you two to join me, I know Mello is not going to like that."

Mello scowled.

"So, Natsuki-chan will choose." L said.

Natsuki's eyes widened slightly and she looked at L. She? She was going to make the decision? Well, that came out of nowhere. She knew she was going to help to make the decision not to choose for herself.

Mello raised an eyebrow. Natsuki? Who the hell was Natsuki? Why was a chick going to say who was the successor and not L himself? That rather annoyed him. Or it wasn't that important for L that he put a stranger for them to choose. Or it was a rather hard decision to make. Mello decided to believe on the first option.

"Fine by me." Near said, placing piece by piece in their exact place.

"You know the girl?" Mello asked to Near, then realizing it was a stupid question. If he, Mello, the one with social life didn't know who this girl was then Near wouldn't even know neither.

"No. L must sent her here to meet us and tell us who's better." Near concluded, he was almost done with his puzzle.

"Indeed." L agreed with Near. "I thought I would just introduce her by camera but it'll easier for Natsuki-chan to meet you face-to-face."

Natsuki decided to not talk until the videocall was done. Was she going to go to the Wammy's house?

"She'll be there in a minutes." L said, finishing the videocall with a button of the panel as the screen became black again and the two boys disappeared.

"… I'll be there in a minutes?" Natsuki asked, tilting her head slightly.

"Yes." Lawliet retorted. "The trip it's short, Watari will take you."

"Okay." Natsuki nodded. "Should I change clothes?" She asked, looking down at her. She was wearing a red tight t-shirt sleeveless, leather pants and red converse. Even if she was about her twenties, she really looked like a teenager. She would have put on a jacket or a sweater but she was too hurried. L was dying, putting on a sweater wasn't a priority for her. Now, the red converse matched with her t-shirt since she already had them on when she was talking with L by phone. If not, she would have just put sneakers without even tying the shoelaces.

Lawliet looked at her, from feet to head. "You're okay like that. Mello will like you."

She smiled. "Really?" Of course, L was not to ask about fashion. "Yeah, I saw he wears a lot of leather."

"Ready to go, Miss Natsuki?" Watari asked, as he stepped in the room.

"Yes." Natsuki gave him one nod.

"I'm Natsuki Yagami." She said to Near and Mello, who were sat by the other side of the table. They were in a room that Watari gave them to talk about the special topic. "Nice to meet you, personally."

"Personally?" Mello asked after he swallowed the piece of chocolate.

"Yes. I was with L when the videocall." Natsuki smiled at them.

"You're L's second hand?" Mello shot another question, not bothering to say 'nice to meet you too'.

"Uh- No.. I'm not. I don't dare to say I am. Though, we're something like.. friends, I suppose." She shrugged one shoulder, keeping her smile on her lips.

Mello leaned back in his chair, still looking at Natsuki which would be kind of unconfortable for her if she didn't have gotten used after L did that a lot of times. Althought, Mello was not eye-widened and all.

"And you're Near." She turned her head to look at Near, who was sat besides Mello, this time not solving a puzzle but playing with toys. Toys of cars.

"Yes, I am." Near said, nodding once.

"You're not very talkative, are you?" Natsuki asked, her smiled softened.

"Indeed."

She sighed, how could she know who was better to be L's successor? "Well, guys, I don't really know who of you two I'll choose. I just met you two, but.. You two seem at the same level." But Near really remembered her of L, though. It'd be easier to just flip a coin.

"I'm Natsuki Yagami." She said to Near and Mello, who were sat by the other side of the table. They were in a room that Watari gave them to talk about the special topic. "Nice to meet you, personally."

"Personally?" Mello asked after he swallowed the piece of chocolate.

"Yes. I was with L when the videocall." Natsuki smiled at them.

"You're L's second hand?" Mello shot another question, not bothering to say 'nice to meet you too'.

"Uh- No.. I'm not. I don't dare to say I am. Though, we're something like.. friends, I suppose." She shrugged one shoulder, keeping her smile on her lips.

Mello leaned back in his chair, still looking at Natsuki which would be kind of unconfortable for her if she didn't have gotten used after L did that a lot of times. Althought, Mello was not eye-widened and all.

"And you're Near." She turned her head to look at Near, who was sat besides Mello, this time not solving a puzzle but playing with toys. Toys of cars.

"Yes, I am." Near said, nodding once.

"You're not very talkative, are you?" Natsuki asked, her smiled softened.

"Indeed."

She sighed, how could she know who was better to be L's successor? "Well, guys, I don't really know who of you two I'll choose. I just met you two, but.. You two seem at the same level." But Near really remembered her of L, though. It'd be easier to just flip a coin.


	9. Wammy's house

"I'm Natsuki Yagami." She said to Near and Mello, who were sat by the other side of the table. They were in a room that Watari gave them to talk about the special topic. "Nice to meet you, personally."

"Personally?" Mello asked after he swallowed the piece of chocolate.

"Yes. I was with L when the videocall." Natsuki smiled at them.

"You're L's second hand?" Mello shot another question, not bothering to say 'nice to meet you too'.

"Uh- No.. I'm not. I don't dare to say I am. Though, we're something like.. friends, I suppose." She shrugged one shoulder, keeping her smile on her lips.

Mello leaned back in his chair, still looking at Natsuki which would be kind of unconfortable for her if she didn't have gotten used after L did that a lot of times. Althought, Mello was not eye-widened and all.

"And you're Near." She turned her head to look at Near, who was sat besides Mello, this time not solving a puzzle but playing with toys. Toys of cars.

"Yes, I am." Near said, nodding once.

"You're not very talkative, are you?" Natsuki asked, her smiled softened.

"Indeed."

She sighed, how could she know who was better to be L's successor? "Well, guys, I don't really know who of you two I'll choose. I just met you two, but.. You two seem at the same level." But Near really remembered her of L, though. It'd be easier to just flip a coin.

* * *

"No! Goddammit!" Natsuki yelled, as she pressed the buttons of the Xbox.

"You can suck my dick." Mello smirked playfully, he had this round.

After some chat between them to get to know each other, Mello got bored and Natsuki as well. So, don't know how, they ended up talking about videogames and in a discussion of how was a better gamer they decided to play 3 rounds of Dead or Alive 5.

Mello was playing as Hayate and Natsuki as Ayane.

They were now on round two. Natsuki had won round one but she was starting to believe it was because Mello let her, so thinks could get interesting on round three. It was in part like that, but she did win by her own mostly. There were a lot of kids watching them play being that it was like one of the best gamers of Wammy's against someone who could be good

"And…" Mello said, skillfully pressing the buttons. "KNOCK OUT!" He yelled, smiling along with the game. Giving a high five to Matt who was sat next to him.

"Round three, homies! This is it!" Matt said to the other kids, grinning.

"Go Matt!" Some kids on the background supported him, knowing how skilled he was at these games.

"Thanks for the support, kiddos!" Natsuki told them in a funny way and sarcastically, which made some of them giggle.

The round three was long, Natsuki showed resistance against Mello and also made combos on him several times, the same with Mello. But, in the end, Natsuki won.

"EAT THAT!" Natsuki let her inner competitive and immature child out, laughing at Mello's face.

"Two words for you; Screw. You." Mello threw the joystick away on the small glass table in front of them.

"Whoa, why did you censor yourself?" Matt smirked, lighting up a cigarette he had just taken out of his pocket.

Mello just shrugged, actually he didn't know.

"Run, Matt is smoking again!" The voice of a girl screaming that sentence was heard between all the kids, some of them ran with her away. It seemed like they didn't like the smell of smoke.

Matt laughed amused at that.

"Arigato gozai-masu" She, playfully, bowed her head slightly. "Okay, now pay, sucker!" Natsuki extended her hand.

"What?" Mello looked at her like if she were crazy.

"Whe did a a bet! Don't act like if you don't know!" She couldn't help but grin at him, it was just funny.

"I don't know what're you talking about, crazy woman." Mello stood up. "C'mon, Matt. Her craziness might be contagious." Matt chuckled and stood up, following Mello that was walking away from the games room.

"Hey!" Natsuki jumped off the couch, and was about to follow him when she saw Near. In a corner, playing with a Rubik Cube. "Heya, Near." She said softly, "What are you doing?" She had this thing of asking obvious and stupid questions when she was around Near, it was almost like treating him like a baby.

"Playing with this cube." Near said, without taking his sight away from the cube. Solving things like this was simply a game for him.

"I see. You don't like videogames?" Natsuki sat on the floor in front of him.

"I prefer puzzles." Near replied to her question, he stared at the cube he then twirled one lock of hair behind his ear, thinkg what should be his next move to solve the cube.

"I can tell that." She smiled. "I decided which one of you should take L's place." She said, out of nowhere.

"Who did you choose then?" Near glared at her, "It's Mello?"

"Eh—Why'd you ask?" Natsuki canted her head to a side.

"You seem to get along rather well with him." The white haired boy said, looking back at his cube.

"Well, you kinda remember me of L."

"So, you choose me?" Near looked again at her.

Natsuki nodded at him. A smile curled on his lips.

"For a moment, I thought you would decide for Mello since you two seem to become good friends." Near told her, changing the Cube's part to complete the yellow color.

That was fast.

"Yeah.. I know... But I tried to not put my emotions on this, this isn't about who of both of you I like more. It's about who's more capable." Natsuki explained as she ran her fingers through her brown hair.

"Thank you, for thinking I fit more as L." Near was honestly grateful.

"You're welcome, dear." Natsuki smiled softly at him. He looked so adorable for her, like a fluffy plushie. She just wanted to hug him.

"Who's gonna tell Mello?" Near asked, she could hear that in his voice he was indicating it was not gonna be easy since that would just feed Mello's envy and competevity.

"Right. Don't worry, I'll do it." Natsuki said, she should be the one to tell him.

Near nodded, focused on his Rubiki Cube.

She stood up and walked away, then suddenly she walked again to the corner where Near was sat.

"Where's Mello's bedroom?" Natsuki asked embarassed, laughing softly a bit.

"Second floor, third door to the left." Near replied.

* * *

Mello and Matt were in his room. Matt was playing Call of Duty on his DS, smoking and pretending hearing what Mello was saying, as always, Mello complained about everything. Although, this time he wasn't exactly complaining.

"Man, I think she's gonna choose me." Mello said. "I mean, she didn't even talk with Near a lot. She knows me more."

"Don't ya think that's why she won't." Matt paused the game and exhaled a big cloud of smoke.

"What d'you mean?!" Mello snapped at him.

"Nat knows you're competitive, childish, and you didn't pay her the ten bucks." Matt continued, "And let's be honest, I'm sure L is some kinda weirdo like Near."

"I'M NOT CHILDISH." Mello yelled, although inside of him he knew Matt was right. Kind of.

Matt snorted, "Add anger management but calm down, bro. I was just sayin'"

"Shut the fuck up." Mello rolled his eyes, zipping open a bar of Wonka chocolate.

"Now, you're colorful with me and not with her, huh?" Matt teased him.

"Shut. The fuck. Up!"

"Chillax, dude." Matt threw the cigarette to the ashtray.

Natsuki knocked the door twice, waiting at the other side of it.

"Mello someone's knocking the door." Matt said, as he kept playing Call of Duty.

The blonde guy growled and stood up from the bed where he was sitting, walking to the door to open it.

"What's up, Mello?" Natsuki grinned and walked into the room.

"Yeah, 'course. Come in." Mello said snarkily, closing the door behind him.

"Nice room." She examinated the place, there was a trash can full of chocolate bundles. "What are you guys doing?"

"Mello complains 'bout life as always and I'm killing people online."

"Sweet!" Natsuki and Matt chuckled along. "Anyways, I have something to tell you, Mello." She turned to him.

"What is it? You cheated on the game and can't live with the guilt?" Mello teased her.

"Yeah, no. Of course not!" She smiled. "Etto.. I.. I made the decision." Natsuki half-smiled.

Mello's eyes flickered.

"SAY THAT TO MY FACE NOT ONLINE WANKER AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS!" Matt shouted to the screen of his console.

Natsuki and Mello stared at him. Mayy did not pay attention to that.

"Whatever. Who's the successor?" Mello asked, impatient to know.

"I chose..." She looked right into his eyes, those blue eyes. It was killing her that she was about to destroy the light in them. "Not- Not you."

Matt peered at Mello, his best friend was going to get really mad, that's for sure.

"Damn!" Matt mumbled when he got shot while looking at Mello.

"Whatever." Mello said, opening the door and motioning Natsuki to leave.

She stepped out of the room. "Wait!" She said when he was about to close the door. "If Near fails. We can do like.. An investigation apart from them." She said, in her try of making him feel better.

"We?" Mello repeated, raising an eyebrow. "I'll find my own way." He was determinated to catch Kira.

"Mello.. It was a hard choice-"

"And you chose the twit-headed of Near 'cause he's better, I get it." Mello cut her off.

"I'm sorry." Natsuki looked down and then looked at him and slowly wrapped her arms around him. "I know this was important for you."

Mello hummed, a hug wasn't going yo make him feel different about it. He was not sure if he wanted to hug her back but, just to be polite, he did.

"Ooh." Matt whispered, grinning at them. "Now kiss."

Natsuki, still hugging Mello, frowned at Matt and mouthed 'What the hell?!' She instantly blushed and let go of Mello. Who did the same in the same time thanks to Matt.

"Shut the hell up, Matt!" Mello shouted at him. And there was again him, putting censor to himself.

Matt noticed that. He kept grinning and focused again on his game.

"Eh- I- Yeah, Matt's a dumbass." She stammered on her words. Why she was stammering?

"I heard you Nat." He called her by her new nickname. "I mean, Mrs. Keehl!" Matt laughed at his own joke.

"What's wrong with you?!" Natsuki frowned at Matt. "I'll leave.. Yeah, I'll call L." She said.

Mello nodded, as she walked away.

"Oi! Onee-chan! You won Mello on gaming, isn't it true?" A little boy with brown hair and blonde stripes, eight years maximun, reached Natsuki in her way down stairs from Mello's room.

"Yeah! I did." Natsuki retorted, proudly.

"Well, you must be excellent! Are you a new here? I'm Takashi!" Takashi said, grinning.

She knew the guy was Japanese since he used the term 'Onee-chan' with her.

"Nice to meet you, Takashi. I'm Natsuki." She introduced herself, seems like the fact that she was from Japan excited him even more. "But no, actually I'm not staying here. Just came to visit."

"You're Japanese, aren't you?" Takashi asked, his eyebrows raising to his hairline as he walked down stairs with her.

"Oh, I see. You have a brother or a sister here?" The curious boy asked.

"Yes, I am." Natsuki nodded, smiling down at the boy. "No, no." Should he tell her about L? He must know about L so it wouldn't be bad, she could say she knows him. "Well, I'm just friend with.. Mello." That didn't go as she wanted.

"Mmkay. Well, you kicked his ass on the Xbox!" He jutted his thumb up at her, grinning.

Natsuki chuckled softly. "I guess I kicked his ass, yeah."

"Well, Onee-chan, gotta go. Lunch time." Takashi high five'd her and ran with another kid to the dinning room.

"What a cutie." She said for herself.

* * *

Natsuki walked to the room where Watari had left her and took the laptop that on one of the tables.

"This is L." L's synthetic voice said when his logo appeared on the screen.

"This is Natsuki." She said.

"Did the decision already, Natsuki-chan?" L asked.

"Yes. Yes, I did." She cleared her throat. "I chose Near."

"Wise choice. Would you mind if I ask why didn't you choose Mello?"

"He is.. Childish.. Has anger management. If Kira makes him angry then he would explode."

"I am childish, too." L told her. "I won't judge your election, so I'm grateful. Thank you. In the time you were in Wammy's, there has been more dead criminals and I took time to try and solve it by myself but truth be told, I can't deduce anything more than what I know right now without at least having contact with Kira and I cannot. So I need to introduce the new L just about now."

"Very well. You're welcome, L, it was no problem." Actually it was. "I'll tell Near he has to start right now."

"I sent a message to Watari, Near will come with you to our HQ. Again, thank you."


	10. Hyperactivity

"Oooh, but don't go just know!" Matt complained, after Natsuki told him she got to go. "We haven't even played something together. You wouldn't win me on Mario Kart." Matt smirked.

"I know, I know. I wouldn't won against the dude who's playing all day long." Natsuki rolled her eyes and smiled at Matt. "Where's Mello, by the way?" She asked, wondering why Matt wasn't with him.

"I lost him a few hours ago. I think he's like eating ice cream for losers and watching Twilight or something." Matt snorted at his own joke.

Natsuki sniggered, though she didn't feel like it was right to leave Mello like that. The guy did have inferiority complexes. "Aw, man."

"You should give him comfort sex." He lighted up a cigarette.

Awkward.

Natsuki stared at him, then taking his cigarette, tossing it to the ground and stepping on it.

Matt laughed out loud. "Bitchy much, are we? It was just a joke, chill out."

"Anyways, where did Near go?" Natsuki looked around the backyard of the house, but it did not make sense, Near most likely would be inside with his toys and puzzles.

"Dunno, Nat." Matt shrugged and walked inside the house with Natsuki. "You can look for him in his room. Third floor, and…" Matt scratched his head. "I think it's the 6 door on the.. right? Or perhaps left? I'm not quite sure."

"Well, I can ask someone else." Natsuki waved him and went upstairs to the third floor.

When she was there, the girl looked to the right and then to the left. Which direction was his room in? Matt wasn't even sure so it did not help her a lot. She walked to the right and knocked the sixth door.

"Uh.. Whadda ya want, brunette?" A short red haired girl opened the door, raising an eyebrow towards Natsuki with a book on her hand.

"Sorry but do you know where is Near's bedroom?" Natsuki asked, half-smiling at the other girl which Natsuki couldn't really make eye-contact since this girl had a bang covering all her forehead and part of the eyes but it looked like they were a dark blue.

"Near? Why would you go there? Thought the kid had no social life." She shrugged, "but well, I think is th' last door on the left hallway." The redhead pointed, "Let me check if the kid is in there." She threw the book to the bed and walked, quickly, to Near's room.

Kid? Natsuki was sure they were almost at the same age? They were already in November 5, 2004. Which made Near just a thirteen-year-old boy. A smart one. And this girl couldn't be older than him

Although it was unnecessary, Natsuki could find the room by herself but she followed the redhead to the opposite direction. 'Sixth door, right hallway huh?' She though, repeating what Matt had told her.

"Snowy-boy~" The girl called him as she knocked the door. "You there?"

"Yes." Near retorted from inside his room.

The redhead took that as permission of coming in so she opened the door; to see Near sitting on the floor and a huge castle of tarot cards surrounding him.

"Whoa.. Amazing." Natsuki said softly.

"Thank you." Near told Natsuki, as he kept finishing the roof of one of the towers of the castle.

"Yo, Near. This girl wanted to visit you, bro." The other girl said, and skillfully avoided the tarot castle to jump on the top of Near's bunk bed. She seemed very athletic and like if she knew ballet.

Natsuki tried to take a step inside the room but Near stopped her.

"What?" Natsuki asked.

"I trust that Maxine will not even touch my castle thanks to her ballet and gymnastic skills. Now, I'll be pissed if you move one only card and make this fall upon the floor." Near explained as the redhead, which name was Maxine, was hanging of the edge of the top bed with only her legs helping her to not fall over the third castle's tower.

"Dude, I told you I'm Max!" Maxine.. Or rather, Max shouted to Near. "I'd call myself M but there are already too many dudes here with that initial." She swung her arms back and forth. "Stupid thirteenth letter of the ABC." Max mumbled.

"… I see." Natsuki nodded and decided to stay out of the room, she wouldn't want to deal with a pissed Near. "Well, we got to go now. You have to start investigating immediately." She looked at the redhead that was like a monkey on the bunk.

"Investigatin'? What're you two planning, hm? Hm?" Max looked at Near and Natsuki, "Is somethin' important? It must be 'cause Near wouldn't leave this place unless it's somethin' VERY important.

"It's about L." Near said honestly to Max, whose eyes went wide and the blood that was starting to get on her head suddenly disappeared making her look more pale than before.

"L?!" Max yelled and climbed to the bed again, now sitting there. "You mean.. You mean L?! _The_ L!?" She blinked repeatedly. "Dude, you-you remember that videochat we had with him except we could see nothing but his damn logo and then.. and then, he answered my questions but you were too busy to ask something and the same with Mello and.. God, I'm so jealous, I would LOVE to meet him!" You can tell she was on her fangirl mode.

"Yeah.. That L." Natsuki was amazed by Max, she was rabid.

"And you know him?" Max asked to Natsuki with a toothy smiled playing on her lips.

"Ehm- Yeah." The brown haired woman thought she had to keep her visit low-key but with the game she played with Mello most of the kids knew who she was; the girl who cleaned the floor with Mello.

"Miss Yagami." Near called her, turning his head to face her. "Could you please help me to get out of my castle?" He asked.

Not sure of how she was going to do that she just tried her best to stick to the walls and use the few centimeters between them and the tarot cards castle. When she was close to Near, he lifted his arms like a baby who wanted to be carried would, it was adorable. She then took him and carried him way back to the door. In several times she almost stepped on a card that would make the castle go down but thanks to Near help, pointing out for her where was the most safest place to place her foot on, they got out fast.

In Max's case, she really seemed like a monkey, jumping off the bed to the center of the castle where Near was sat and then jumping again to the wall to walk the same way as Natsuki did but much more fast.

* * *

After Near and Natsuki left Wammy's house, she felt kind of empty for not telling Mello nothing, not even 'bye' or 'I'll kick your ass at gaming another time'. She looked throught the window of the car, as they got to their new HQ that wasn't in Japan. Near would be under L's command and they would catch Kira soon.

When they arrived to the new huge building, Watari led them to the penthouse.

"Hi!" Natsuki greeted him with a wide smile when she got in with Near next to her.

"Hello, Natsuki-chan."

Near stared at him, L stared back.

"It's nice to meet you." L finally said, extending a hand to a handshake.

Near seemed like if he was panicking inside or just didn't know what to do with the hand L just offered. His head up to look at the man who was L, he awkwardly and slowly took the hand but didn't shake it. Then after like two seconds he let it go as he saw the toys and puzzles Watari brought to him. The white haired boy took them all and placed them on the floor, first playing with the cars.

"Watari!" A girl screamed down the hallways, running up to him as she waved. "Hey!"

"Max?!" Watari wondered why the hell Max was there, then looked down at the hyper girl. "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be on Wammy's right now? Who brought you here?" He shot all those questions to the exhausted girl.

"Gimme.. a second.. just.. wait.." Max said, her face a bit red and her hands on her knees, recovering the breath. "I did.. Parkour.. Following your.. Car.. And I.. almost fell.. of a.. building.." She said between her long and deep inhalations and exhalations.

"Why did you do that?" Watari was worried, so he took her hand and walked with her to the room where everyone was.

"I wanted.. to meet L.." Max confessed, her voice recovering consistency. "I wanted… to get… into… th' suit case… with the baggage but- I couldn't."

He then stopped, knowing how was Max it would not be the best idea to put her in the same room as L with her like that. He changed direction and took her to the room next to that.

She threw herself in the chair and buried herself down, breathing slowly and deep. Watari gave her a glass of water and a sandwich but she refused it. She was thirsty not hungry, although the energy she had spent on parkouing all the way from Wammy's to the HQ would make her eat five sandwiches.

"Soooooo, where's L?" Max asked with a grin, she had drank her last glass of water and she was already herself.

"In the next room." Watari retorted, as he opened the door for her, knowing what she would do next.

She squealed and darted out of the room, running to the room next door as she knocked a few times. Natsuki wondered who would it be because it was obvious that Watari wouldn't knock like that, actually he wouldn't even knock. The brunette stood up from her couch next to L and headed to the door.

"Natasha!" Max said cheerfully when the door opened, though it was the wrong name.

"It's.. Natsuki." She corrected her and quirked an eyebrow.

"Oh.. Right. Mental note." Max tapped the side of her forehead with her pointer finger. "Where's L?!" She walked out before Natsuki could answer, "Good Lord.." Her jaw dropped as she saw L, sitting on big couch with his legs hugged against his chest as he drank some tea. "My, my. I gotta post this on my blog."

"Please, don't." L said, taking another sip of his tea.

"I know. I was just kiddin', I'm not an idiot." Max turned to see Near on the floor. "Snowy-boy! God, you look disturbingly like him." She commented, looking at L and Near.

"Well, what are you exactly doing here, Max?" Natsuki chimed in, frowning slightly at the girl.

"I did parkour across all the city to get in here with style. Do not question me." Max flipped her hair, proud of her many athletic skills.

"That's quite impressing." L admitted, "I assume you are thirteen, aren't you?"

"Nailed it! Yup, I'm thirteen. But sometimes I think I'm fourteen or older, I don't even know." Max shrugged. "Dude, it's good that I'm here. Now you're not the only woman, Nata- Natsuki. Hehe."

"You're not staying. You cannot." Natsuki told her.

"Whaaaat? I can. I do what I want so I can." Max replied, opening her arms to her sides and then placing them on her hips.

"I'm not going to discuss that. L, is she gonna stay?" Natsuki turned to L and pointed to Max. She was practically a kid, she couldn't stay there.

"She's intelligent, I know that. Maxine skills in the battlefield could be useful, although I recognize this is a dangerous case."

Maxine Bartlett. Thirteen-years-old, the murderer of her parents was hard to find, but the only person that was close to be a suspect was the one who her father owed money. Plus he had criminal record so he was sent to prison and then was murdered in his jail. No one never knew who did such thing.

"The Kira case, riiiiight?" She sat beside Near, "I can kick Kira's butt if you want me to."

"Thanks for the offer but the plan is to catch him. Although there's a chance that things will get tough and Kira will show resistance so a thirteen-year-old who does parkour best than no one else, would be to have that on our side." Near said in a monotone. Finally! He talked since he got there.

"Awrighty! So I'm in the team?"

"No. We'll aid you if we are in need for help but right now, it would be good if you go back to Wammy's." L said, putting his tea cup down.

"But I don't wanna! All I do is read and eat. Which is good but I want more action on my life." Max pouted, complaining about how 'unfair' they were with her.

"… I don't want to deal with this." Natsuki rolled her eyes sligthly.

* * *

Natsuki stepped out of the room and went to the rooftop. She pulled out her phone and dialed Matt's phone. She would call Mello but she didn't have his phone and the most likely was that he would not answer.

"You better have a good excuse, Nat, 'cause I was playing the Legend of Zelda and no one interrupts me when I'm playing the Legend of Zelda." Matt said, half of that was a joke to tease her and the other half was true.

'_Zeruda no Densetsu_' Natsuki thought on Japanese. She had played that game, of course. It was long as hell.

"Hello to you too. Hey, do you know a girl called Maxine? Max?" Natsuki asked him, rocking on her foot.

"I know more than one Maxine. There's Maxine Gingell, or Ginger as everyone calls her, best artist on this house in my opinion. There's Maxine Bartlett that it's pretty crazy to say the least and will cut your head off if you call her Maxine. There's also … Well, I don't know other Maxine's. " He shrugged, looking at his Nintendo. He was at an interesting part of the game. He wasn't even trying, he only said the two first Maxine's that poppep up on his head. "Why d'you ask?"

"Because turns out that this parkour-girl Max followed us." Natsuki let a sigh escape.

"Damn, don't take her ramen away from her, okay? She, like, hulk out when you do that."

Natsuki didn't understand that last part but just nodded, "Okay. How's Mello, by the way?"

"I don't know what pissed him more. That he's not 'the chosen one' or that you left without saying goodbye."

"Put him on the phone."

"Didn't I tell you he's mad? He won't talk to you. He's like a little child who-" Matt was cut off. "Ow! That hurt, man!" Matt yelled to someone, probably Mello.

"What's wrong?" Natsuki walked around the rooftop, for no reason she remembered that kid called Takashi, which remembered her of home, Japan and remembered her of the conversation she had to have with her father about all this. Good that her father would help her to say to her mother that it was just a college trip, then getting back to reality when Matt answered.

"Mello hit me in the head. Agh, my goggles!" Matt took his goggles off his head and checked them out to see if they were broken or anything. Mello's hand was strong. Luckily his goggles were safe. "Good, they're fine." He sighed in relief and put them back on his head. "Mello, you psycho! What's wrong with you? Don't take it out on me, man!"

Mello mumbled something to Matt that Natsuki was not capable to hear, but he was furious.

"Tell him I'm sorry and that I think he's capable of catching Kira. And he was gonna be under L's commands, anyway. Wouldn't make any difference." Natsuki hung up.

* * *

"We're going to let Kira have some time for himself, just a short time so he can think he won-"

"And then we'll show him who's th' man!" Max cut L off, he didn't like that. She smirked, throwing her arms to the air. "Of course, you're the man, L. You too, Near!"

Natsuki ate quietly her ice cream, sunk on her thoughts.

"Something's wrong, Natsuki-chan?" L asked, noticing she was too quiet.

"Nah. Don't worry. It's just.. Mello might not take the news too well." Natsuki retorted softly, as she bit slightly her bottom lip. "I'm just too.."

"Sentimental?" L stole that word out of her mouth.

"Yeah." Natsuki nodded, rubbing the back of her neck as she turned her head to look at L.

"I know. He'll be fine."


	11. Second-generation L

Weeks have passed, becoming months but not years since Near was chosen to take L's place and confront Kira. They have been discreetly investigating every move Kira made since then. Now, they were still on England.

"Watariiii, can you bring the Chronicles of Narnia? The last book? I was reading it 'till Nat.. suki knocked my door." Max took L's microphone to ask Watari, who said yes. "Thanks, Watari!"

The room was normally quiet, Natsuki tapping on the computer; getting every detail she could about what was happening on Japan. L; checking times of death and amount and noticing that Kira was now killing without stopping and also getting access to criminals that haven't been named on public. And Near, well he was just playing darts. Natsuki had asked L if Near was going to do something but until they decide to make the attack move, Near was just going to be there without doing nothing.

"This is borin'." Max growled, scratching her head. She then walked around the room and did some pirouettes. "Dudes.. An' lady dude.. When are we goin' to Japan? I've never been there before."

"Max's right." L said. "We shall make a call to Kira. The deaths are starting to lose control, seems like prisons will be empty if we keep like this."

Natsuki raised her eyebrows. They were going to call her brother, she might get popcorns for this. What would be Light's face when he's told that there's another L?

"Near." L called the boy, who stopped throwing darts. "You'll talk to Kira."

Near gave him a nod. "Very well."

"Finally! Some action- I want something to eat." Max complained out of nowhere when she left the thing of the pirouettes.

"Would you like some sweets?" L offered her, pointing the lollipops that were on the tray.

"Nope. I'm not a fan of sweet things. I prefer acid. Like lemons, or stuff like that." Max refused with the head L's offer. "Man, where's Watari? If he was goin' to buy the book I saw a bookstore across the street." The redhead pursed her lips. "Screw it. Gimme that lollipop." She took one of the lollipops that were on the tray, taking away the bundle and putting it inside her mouth.

Natsuki kept tapping on the keyboard of the laptop. She had already accepted that she wanted her brother in a jail.

* * *

"Light. Why didn't ya kill that old man that was on the room with Natsuki?" Ryuk asked. He had to admit that he had a certain like for the girl because all the apples she gave him, nothing else. So, seeing her so pissed off and out of her normal state amazed him. Indeed, humans are interesting.

"There's no hurry, Ryuk. I just didn't wanted to leave my sister alone in a room with dead people. Actually, I already wrote down his name." Light answered to Ryuk. Misa was very useful, he had managed to give her a photo of Watari's face so she gave him the full name of the man. Walking inside of the room with the rest of the Task Force team, Light sat on the desk and opened his laptop.

"Light-kun. Kira's killings have increased. Are you sure we're close to get him?" Aizawa questioned him. Light seemed to relaxed, like they had Kira on their palms but it didn't felt like that.

"Yes, I'm sure. As we get more data of his actions we'll be closer and closer to catch him." Light affirmed.

Aizawa hummed and got back again to concentrate on his work.

Matsuda's phone rang, the number was not identified. "Hello?"

"We know about your investigation about Kira, and I know how many time you've been working like that. I dare to say, that you're failing gravely on your job." The synthetic voice started. Near at the other side of the phone, twirled a lock of his white hair.

"W-what?" Matsuda stammered, then putting a hand on the phone speaker. "This guy… He seems to know a lot about what are we doing here!" He whispered.

Light stood up almost immediately, "Matsuda, give me the phone."

Matsuda nodded and handed Light his phone.

"This is L." Light said. Although he did not deserve to be called L.

"L?... Right. It's nice to meet you, second-generation L."

Light's eyes widened. Second-generation L? What did this guy meant? How did he knew? Light took a breath and calmed his mind, he couldn't panic on a moment like this.

"Second-generation L? What do you mean by that?" Light frowned, looking particulary at nowhere as Ryuk laughed at the background. "Who are you?"

"He got you!" Ruyk said on Light's back.

'Shut up, Shinigami!' Light shouted on his thoughts.

"Please, do not. I am aware of what happened to L and it's a waste of time for you to declare that you're the real L."

"…" Light narrowed his eyes. '_How does this guy knows about that? What the hell is happening here?_'

"I'm L's real successor… I'm N." On England, in their HQ, Max was amused by what was happening on the conversation being that her ear was practically stick on the other side of the phone, to hear every single detail.

"And what's the motive of your calling, N?" Light asked, faking he didn't knew. But it was obvious, if he was L successor and he was almost at the same level as L then he'd have the same suspicion as L did. Another pain in the ass for Light. "Wait, don't say it. If you're L's successor as you say, then you might have the same suspicions of me being Kira as L did have when he was alive."

"I see you're as smart as I've been told." Near made a pause. "I am- Or rather I was fifty-fifty between if you're Kira or not. Although, my percentage has increased to a seventy."

"… I see. Well, what do you want to achieve with this? L suspected I was Kira and I've proven that I'm not so you're clearly the one wasting the time here."

"I just wanted to make you clear that you're not going to win this. I am here to stop the mass murderer that Kira is and I won't stop until that day."

Light was thankful that conversation was just between them and the others on the room with him couldn't listen. He knew some of them would again doubt about him if they listened what N said.

"I'll make you clear I am not the guy you're looking for." Light hung up and gave the phone to Matsuda.

"What was all that?" Matsuda asked, putting his phone on his pocket.

"Seems like there's another L- I mean, N."

The people flinched.

"What do you mean, Light? Someone else took L's place?" Soichiro, Light's father, asked as he took a step closer to his son.

"Certainly."

* * *

"Oh my God, that was great!" Max exclaimed, grinning to Near.

"Natsuki-chan. What did you told to your father when you went here?" L asked, now wondering if Yagami-san would be worried.

"College trip, told him that it would be a bit longer than the others trips." Natsuki retorted, smiling softly.

"That can be a good excuse." L nodded.

"That's it! I'm gonna look for that old man!" Max frowned, then standing up from the floor where she was sat next to Near. "Why is he taking so long?" She asked to herself as she stepped out of the room and ran through the halls of the building. The doors of the elevator opened, showing Watari with a bag where the book was resting on a cart where there were a lot of sweet stuff for L and Natsuki. Sweet lovers. "Oh! There you are!" She waved at Watari and then took the book out of the bag. "Thank you!"

"You're welcome, dear." Watari smiled kindly and with the cart, got out of the elevator.

"You know what we just did? We talk to Kira! And was awesome, I bet he was all scared for Near's call." Max chuckled, opening the book at the page she remembered she left the book at Wammy's.

Suddenly, something big and heavy sounded like falling to the floor and the cart passed in front of Max's eyes. What was all that? She turned to see something she didn't like. Horrified, she knelt down to see Watari struggling for his life. "Watari! W-what's happening to you?!" She saw he was grabbing his chest, on his heart. A heart attack? After all that struggling, his eyes started to close slowly. Max yelled his name.

"That was Max, wasn't it?" Natsuki turned her head to the door.

L stood up, and walked to where Max had gone with Near right behind him and Natsuki following them.

At the middle of the way they found Max, knelt down the floor with a shocked look and tears on her eyes. Next to her was Watari's corpse.

"No…" Natsuki quickly knelt on the floor with Max and looked at Watari. His lifeless body sent a shiver through her spine. Why she had to presence things like this? It was awful.

Lawliet and Near where staring down at Watari. Their face didn't show any expression, most likely they were hiding it.

Max dried her tears. "Watari's dead." Max stated, like if it wasn't already obvious.


	12. Lost of a loved one

Silence. That was what filled the hall, with Watari's corpse lying on the ground. No expression from L or N and Max tried her best to not cry but she was crying a river, quietly.

Natsuki, she dried every tear that threatened to come out of her eyes. On her inner thoughts, she cursed her brother with all the insults she knew in English and Japanese. It was his fault, it had to be him.

Max stood up, her eyes were in fire.

"Where are you going, Max?" L asked when he heard the elevator doors opened for her.

"To Wammy's." Max retorted, not even looking at him.

"Don't bother, I'll send them a message about this." L said, although he could feel her intentions to go to that house weren't for that.

"No. I'm goin' to look for my katana." Max just revelated the secret weapon she had hidden on her room. Taking a step into the elevator and pushed the button to the lobby.

It was stopped by Natsuki's hand, "What are you planning to do? If you're using the katana to avenge him then how the hell do you plan getting to Japan?! Or even finding him?!" Natsuki took her by the sweater and pulled her out of the elevator, which pissed off Max.

"Natsuki-chan, bring Max to the room." L told her.

Natsuki nodded, "C'mon." She said as she pulled of Max's sweater.

"Let go, peasant!" Max yelled at Natsuki, doing a karate key on her arm so she could let go of her sweater.

Natsuki reacted and used Max's strenght against her, like she have been tauhgt on Aikido. Max saw that coming and grabbed Natsuki's left arm and quickly hit her in the stomach so hard she was out of breath. Natsuki fell to the floor. Who could have imagined this girl had so many strenght in one arm?

Max laughed like maniac, then running away from them. None L nor Near went behind her, they knew they would end up worse than Natsuki if they followed her.

"We need to occupy of Natsuki-chan, she's the priority now." The black haired man turned his head to Near. "You stay with her." L walked away. He needed to call to someone to take Watari's body and also, if Natsuki was gravely hurt, an ambulance.

Natsuki pressed her arm against her, it was burning in pain. She bit her bottom lip hard.

"Keep calm." Near said, "You will be fine."

Natsuki didn't feel her arm broken but, what the hell had that girl done to it? They had a good fight and for a thirteen-year-old to beat a woman. Max was skilled.

* * *

Watari's body was covered to his neck by a black blanket inside of the urne. L told everyone that he'd mourn his death alone. Lawliet was by himself on the funerary, he covered Watari's face with the blanket and closed the urne. Leaving the place.

How painful could be for him to lose someone that was like his father? Just imagine it, to lose the closest thing you had for a family, the man that was there every day to bring him food and make him companion.

Now, he's gone.

* * *

Max did parkour to avoid use the gates of the house so she entered right to the backyard. She runan across it and on her way, she found Mello and Matt.

"Heya! Maxie! Wait up!" Matt called her, she ignored it at first but he called her again. Annoyed at them for stopping her, she made a pause to her run and turned at them so fast her short hair drew a line in the air.

"Whoa, did Natsuki take your ramen away from you?" Matt asked, snorting at his own joke. "Anyways, I thought you sneaked to meet L."

"I did." Max answered, crossing her arms.

"SHE DID?!" Mello snapped, angry at the fact that even the girl met L and he didn't. He knew he was smarter than her, therefore he was more worth of meeting L.

"Yeah, she followed them. But, hey, L's message is truth?" Matt asked, his expression went serious. L wouldn't lie about Watari's dead but he wanted to be sure.

"Watari's gone. The tosser of Kira did it." Max walked away.

"Hey!" Matt followed her and Mello was forced to do the same. He didn't wanted to.

Mello and Matt scowled.

Max stepped into her room and from the closet pulled out her big katana.

"... Since when do you have that there?" Mello asked, rasing an eyebrow.

"Since always." She swung it on the air, flipping it.

Matt took a few steps back for precaution, it was weird to see that girl wielding a sword and she seemed like if she was always practicing. She then without saying a word left the run with her katana on her belt.

"Where do you think you're going with that?" Mello grabbed her by her arm.

"I'll avenge Watari. Now, get off or I'll cut your arm off." Max threatened him.

Mello let go of her, "At least listen to me. How the fuck do you plan to get to Japan? You can't just do parkour until you get there!" He knew that was the her thoughts.

"I was planning to get an airplane, idiot." She said, after reasoning Mello was right.

"Don't ya need money for that?" Matt chimed in, now pressing skillfully the buttons of his portatil console.

"I have saved my money since I got here." Max admitted, smiling.

"We'll use Matt's money to complete for two tickets for us." Mello wanted to avenge Watari's dead as well and he wanted to catch Kira first than Near.

"WHAT?! Why not your money?!" Matt said, still playing on his game.

"My money too, you dumbass." Mello glared at Matt.

"... I don't need help for this." Max told them, not quite fond of the idea of having company on this.

"You do." Matt paused his game and looked at Max's katana. "From M to M, you won't do this alone." Matt half-smiled.

Max was a little worried by what they could see of her, now she was more calmed than when she was on the HQ with L and the others. She nodded her head once, anyway, agreeing with their plan.

* * *

"Are you feeling better, Miss Natsuki?" Near asked when he heard that the woman's breath was starting to be less heavy than before.

"Yeah… I feel better." She sat down on the bed she was sleeping a minutes ago, she looked around noticing it wasn't the same room where they were before Watari's dead. "Just call me Natsuki, yes?"

"Yes." He nodded. "Glad to hear." Near was on the floor as always, this time playing with dice.

"Where's L?" She asked as she ran a hand through her hair, Natsuki didn't know how long she was resting so her hair might be a little messed up.

"He's on the other room, he asked me to stay with you for when you wake up. You might not want to annoy him right now."

What does that mean? That Natsuki is a nuisance? She ignored that kind of thought, anyway.

"I just want to know how is he doing." The woman stood up, heading to the next door room. When she opened the door of the other place she saw L, sitting in his usual position on a chair in front of a desk and his laptop with his crossed and resting on his knees and his head buried between them. The death of Watari was something that hit him hard.

"Lawliet.." Natsuki called softly, standing behind him as she put a hand on one of his shoulders. "I'm truly sorry."

No comment from him.

She proceeded to take one chair away from the table of the room and place it besides L to sit next to him. If he was crying that would be something so rare to be witness of, although she did not blame him if he was like that at a moment like this.

Deciding to just sit to his side, she kept quiet all the time as Lawliet. He did not move or something, it was like he was dead but she could see him breathing.

"Watashi wa anataga daikirai desu, onii-san." Natsuki said under her breath as she looked through one of the big windows of the hotel.


	13. Behind her mask

"I'm still surprised that they let Max take her katana with her." Matt said as they arrived to the place Mello had found them to stay. It was more like an old abandoned apartment but it was the same, Matt was most likely the only staying all the day there.

Max tossed her only package, a bag, to the floor and walked to the window. It was the sixth floor. Nothing too big for her.

"Wait... Are you really going to start looking for Kira and you don't even know where is he?!" Mello scowled, as she jumped and landed on the frame of the window with just the toes of her feet.

"I suppose.. Yeah." Max nodded.

"At least let us find where is he first." Mello said irritated by how spontaneous and dangerous this girl was. He took her by her wrist and pulled her inside the place.

Max perfectly knew that that was a good plan to follow, Matt wouldn't take too long and althought she heard the conversationg between Kira and Near she didn't have the slightlest idea of who Kira was.

"I'll hack Task force's computer to get who was L working with and who was the prime suspect." Matt said, interrupting Max's reasoning.

Mello crossed his arms and glared at Matt, he had already some computers conected around the sofe he alreadt claimed as his.

"Make it fast then." Max grinned. After she looked into her bag for her comic, she took one of Deadpool and stepped out of the apartment.

On each there were four apartments and most of them seemed to be empty.

Max took the first step downstairs but she stopped of a sudden. Out of the corner of her blue eye, she could spot the apartment in front of Mello's. The door was slightly open and there was someone peeking her head out of it.

The redhead narrowed her eyes. "Who're you?" She asked as she returned and walked to the girl.

"... I-I'm Niki.." The black haired girl retorted, stutering. In her facial features Max could notice the other giel was from other country. She lifted her gaze gaze giving that Niki was way taller than Max. To be exact, Max was 5,2 and Niki 5,7.

"Are ya spyin' on us?" Max wasn't exactly sure if to trust this girl or not.

"N-no.. I.. I was just c-curious." Niki lowered her sight to Max's waist, where the katana was hanging from her belt. Swallowing hard, she blinked twice and looked away.

Max hummed when Niki watched her katana and without even asking she walked inside Niki's place as she flipped her bang. Ignoring everything in the apartment, Max looked over to Niki, from feet to head.

Messy black hair with melted silver eyes and a perfect tone of pale skin. A shiver ran through Max's spine; the girl reminded her of L.

"What were you curious 'bout?" Max asked, cocking and eyebrow.

"You.. You mentioned K-kira.. Right?"

Max's phone buzzed in her pocket.

"'Sup?"

"Matt's got the names." Mello told her via phone.

"Why are you callin'? I'm right here, genius."

Mello opened the door after hearing that, seeing Max in front door apartment with a chick.

"Then get your ass in here." Mello hung up and walked away from her sight.

Max was about to leave the girl alone when she noticed Niki took a step jus when Max did. "Are you goin' anywhere?"

"Eh- I…" Niki looked between the door and Max, "Are you… going to catch Kira?" She asked, shyly.

"We intend to break the neck of the bastard." Max replied, walking to where Matt was with Niki behind her.

"I-I could help you, i-if you don't mind."

"Dunno. Ask Mello." Max waved her, carelessly. She thought that Mello would decline her joining to the team so that's why she put the shy girl to ask to the supposed 'boss' of all the operation.

"What'chu go for me Matt?" Max asked as she pulled her sweater off, showing a t-shirt of a fictional character with the moniker of X-23.

"Well, this says L's suspects are Light Yagami, as Kira, and Misa Amane as the second Kira. Light Yagami is son of Soichiro Yagami, boss of the NPA. Makes sense how Kira had a step ahead of L. I bet he hacked his father's computer." Matt explained to the others, as Niki was shyly hearing everything from out of the room, not daring to go into the place.

"Where can I find 'em?" Max grew impatient to know where Kira would be, to cut his neck off for killing Watari.

"Uhm—Gimme a sec… Whoa, we're surprisingly close. Actually no, you'll have to parkour until you have no energy if you wanna get there." Matt looked over his shoulder at Max, who was behind him. "Anyways, it's the Kanto zone. Big-ass building.. Same building where L was working until he… Died?" Matt tilted his head. "Kira… They think L is dead."

"That explains why he wanted Near." Mello chimed in.

"Here, a photo." Matt showed a picture of the building to Max.

"I would kill him now. But I'm hungry. Mello! Gimme somethin' to eat!" Max shouted at Mello, who was staring at Niki. "Ah, right. She's Niki. She wants to ask you something."

Niki's eyes widened, she swallowed hard again. "Uh—Er—I.. Can I.. join your.. to.. I'd like to help… to catch Kira…" She kept her gaze on the floor all the time.

"…" Mello raised an eyebrow. "Can you be useful?"

"I want to be detective." She murmured. "I'm smart and… I can be useful if the situation requires it."

Mello didn't hear well what she said but just nodded, he was not going to make her say all again if she hardly managed to say it just once.

"You need to stop being shy if you want to help."

That was kinda hard for her so she just turned around and ran to her condominium.

"… Okay?" Mello turned to see that Max was staring at him. "What?"

"I want food, man! And you're the older here so gimme food! I want ramen or anything." Max complained.

"You're independent enough for your age! Get it for yourself!" Mello rolled his eyes at her.

"Mmkay, boss." Max walked towards Mello's package and opened it, it was not hard to find just at first sight a bar of chocolate. Usual of Mello. She grabbed the bar and ripped the bundle off, starting to eat it.

At the sound of the bundle being ripped Mello instantly knew it was his bars of chocolate, his face went red of anger. "WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?!" He yelled at Max, smacking her in the back of her head and taking the chocolate away from her.

Matt chuckled; it was like being with two kids and Matt was the only one that wasn't fighting for food. Although he was hungry as Max was.

* * *

Mello, Matt and Max were not the only who went to Japan looking for Kira. Actually, L, Near and Natsuki were on a plane right now. They had to face Kira and stop him somehow from killing more people.

Near, who was sat on the middle between Natsuki and Lawliet, poked Natsuki's arm.

"Yes?" Natsuki left her phone to put her attention on Near.

"Can you give me the robot?" He asked, poiting at one of the many toys that were resting on Natsuki's lap.

"Oh, sure!" She took it and handed it to Near.

L was sat as always, staring at the clouds through the window of the plane. He did not talk too much since they got inside the plane. Natsuki was not sure if to ask something or just let him be sink in his thoughts, as Near said; he didn't wanted to be annoyed.

She looked again at her phone, and checked her messages. There were a lot of Ai, her friend, and also some of her parents but none of Light. It didn't surprise her, she didn't wanted to deal with him anyways. She then answered the last message of Ai, telling her she was still alive and writing to Ai in capslock that Ryuuga was not her boyfriend for the millionth time.

There was not a lot of conversation, until when L decided to talk.

"Natsuki-chan." He turned to face her. "If Light-kun dies, or any other member of your family, how will you feel?" He asked, almost convinced someone in the end was going to die. He should be dead right now, actually.

"Well… Etto… I haven't considered it." Natsuki scratched the back of her head.

"Max's potential target right now is Light-kun and she is what people would call a _Yandere_ if she were a manga character. She can be just a thirteen-year-old but her parents had tortured her to the point that she was the one who killed them. Watari took her in the Wammy's house since that side of her only actived when she was hurt emotionally. That's why she's known as the crazy girl with no friends in Wammy's." L continued to explain that Max's father was an expert at wielding the Katana and Maxine had the ability of learning fast than most of the people so she used to spend a lot of time watching her dad practicing. Also she was in ballet classes as a kid and gymnastics being that her mother wanted her to be in the Olympics on that category. Near commented that he had seen how skillfull Max could be with the katana and that she swung that sword so gracefully it could even be beautiful until she starts getting aggresive and it makes you want to run away to be safe.

Natsuki cringed. That was kind of sad and terrifying. How a little kid was so She was a manga fan so she knew perfectly that term and many others. She would less shocked if he only had said Tsundere instead of Yandere but it wasn't like that. But… A girl like that was after her brother? Not like she was worried for Light at all. In fact, he deserve it for all the people he had killed and for killing Watari. If she only had the Death Eraser and the Death Note with Watari's name with her.

"… Light's screwed." She simply said, shrugging one shoulder.

"But I plan to put him behind bars, not to kill him. If you want him to pay for what he has done, then we can't just simply kill him since it's not right to just take a person's life like that." L told her, showing he had more heart than Light. That was obvious, of course.

"You're right. Then we had to get where Light is as soon as we land."

L turned his head to the window again, seeing they were now close to Japan. Now they had a psycho mass murderer and a skilled girl who will cut everyone's head off if they get in Max's way to kill Kira.


	14. Show off

Max pushed Mello away again, trying to jump off the window to go to the building where Kira was.

"Get her!" Mello shouted to Matt, who didn't really want to fight her. He had a more value for his life than Mello seemed to have.

Matt tried to hold her from her back using Max's arms but the girl turned around, facing Matt for a moment as he kicked him and fell over his computers. Using that moment for her advantage she quickly pulled her katana out of her belt and pointed the edge at Mello, "You're gonna let me go to kill Kira now, darlin'?" A innocent smile formed on her face which made her look even more crazy than she already looked like. Her mind was again onto that unique goal; to kill Kira. When she was quiet, she starts to think, when she does that... Nothing good happens since she focus on the bad things that had happened to her, calling all the pain back again.

"Max..." Mello exhaled heavily. "I'm sorry but no." Max's smile faded out. "The plan is to catch him! Not to murder him!" He shouted at her, trying to get Max back to reality.

"HE KILLED WATARI!" Max cried out, threatening Mello with her katana. Maybe he didn't know but Watari was important for her, he took her not caring about her big flaws and mistakes and accepted her on Wammy's. Perhaps she wasn't a genius but she had learned everything she could see so that's why she reads, to learn and to feel that she's at the level of almost everyone at Wammy's. "He has to pay." She said on a lower tone, without putting the sword down she jumped off the window and ran through the walls, controling her gravity as she fell, then jumping wall to wall until she touched the ground and darted to where Kira was.

"Houston, we've got a problem." Matt said as he slowly stood up from the ground. Sadly, he landed on one computer where he put all his wheight on so it was broken. "You shouldn't have taken the chocolate away from her, ya know." Even in a moment like that, Matt managed to crack a joke.

That pissed Mello off, he felt that his best friend didn't care about nothing at all. Or perhaps he was the one that was caring too much. Anyways, he hit Matt on the face for not having the guts of facing a crazy teenager.

Matt stared wide eyed at Mello.

"Call Natsuki." Mello said to the other, more like in an order.

Not wanting to make Mello mad again, Matt took his phone from the sofa and dialed Natsuki's phone.

"Hi, Matt." Natsuki greeted when she answered his call.

"Hey. Listen, we got a crazy psycho teenager with a katana and ballet training looking for Kira and she's going to use Kira's blood as a sauce for her hot dog if we don't stop her now!" Matt said. Seemed like it was impossible for him to not crack lame jokes.

Mello glanced angrily at him, why Matt couldn't take this more seriously?!

"..." Natsuki frowned sligthly, "You mean Max? What, you couldn't stop her?" She then realized how dumb was that question. If the girl was as dangerous as L told her then no one had a chance against her or they were just too scared of the pointy katana. "Never mind. Where's she now?"

"She's heading to the Task Force's." Matt retorted.

"Okay." She hung up, and ran into L. "Max is going after Light."

"I saw that coming, it was just matter of time." He pushed his upper lip with his thumb. "Unevitable."

"What are we going to do?"

"Near." L called the white haired boy. "Call Kira again, set a date to meet face-to-face. It's been enough of just calls." L then got sunk into his thoughts again. What about Misa? She shouldn't be with Light so Max's name would be anonymous.

Natsuki begun to get worried if Matsuda, Aizawa or Mogi would try and stop Max and get killed in the attempt.

* * *

Mello pushed Matt's back to get him quickly out of the apartment, he almost lose balance and fall but didn't happen.

"W-what's going on?" Niki poked her head out of her place again, glancing at Matt.

"No time for this!" Mello ran downstairs.

Unlike Matt, he tilted his head. He didn't remember her even though it was just an hours ago when she was at their apartment. "Yeah, sorry. Tell ya later." Matt ran to where Mello went and with him got into a random car after breaking the window. Matt used some cables to turn the car on.

"I'll drive!" Mello yelled, passing from the passengers seat to pilot seat.

"Ugh.." Matt complained when in the process of exchanging seat Mello stepped on his stomach.

"Okay, let's go." Mello squeezed the steering wheel and with his foot stepped roughly into the acelerator.

"Whoa, calm down. I wanna live!" Matt said, as he held himself close to the seat.

"Uh..." Niki slowly stepped into their neighbor's apartment. Seeing it was a mess; computers laying all over the floor, clothes and packages tossed around and chocolate bar's bundles on the sofa. That made her uncomfortable. Although when she was about to leave she decided to take a look at the computers. One of them had a photo of a building she knew on the screen and the others were profiles of people and several things she didn't understand because it was all programing stuff. Anyways, she saw besides the couch a bag where a gun was in it, she got interested and knelt down, taking the charged gun. Niki half-smiled.

* * *

"A meeting?" Light repeated, narrowing his eyes at N's offer. He was practically staring at a white screen with a logo like L's but with a N instead. It did annoy him.

"Yes, a meeting. I think it's time to meet each other." Near retorted, "What about in two days, on the old deposite? That way we're sure no one else will be there." He continued as he twirled a white lock of his hair.

"..." Light thought for a moment, what would they guy prove with that? They all would die thanks to Mikami's help. He was even more useful than Misa. "Fine by me."

"I'm looking for it." Near finished the call.

Ryuk was not there anymore since he was now with Mikami but it was missing his laugh at how Light was obviouly being set up if he didn't had a plan for this.

"So, in two days we're gonna meet N?" Matsuda asked, raising his eyebrows.

Aizawa gave him one nod, his arms crossed as he watched Light.

"I can't help but think this N guy still thinks I'm a suspect of being Kira so the meeting will be most likely to prove it even if he's wrong." Light explained to the others.

It almost made him laugh how desesperate must be N for proposing a meeting after all this time. '_This can't be easier than it already is._' He thought, repressing the wants of curving his lips into an evil smile.

* * *

"MAX!" Mello yelled when they managed to block Max with the car, thing that obviously didn't work.

Matt took Mello's gun from his belt and aimed at Max. "Just stop!" He shouted. Right now, it seemed like the only way to stop her. A shot to the leg should work. Max didn't listen to him and dodged the car, getting away from them as she ran across the street.

"Sorry..." Matt whispered as he shot the gun.

Max turned around to stop the bullet that was going to her leg and changing its direction to the wheel of one car that was close to her, making it crash with another car. That was a good move if she wanted to gain time.

Matt was amazed by how talented she was. With big eyes, he threw himself back to the seat. "A thirteen-year-old... Dodged a bullet with a katana. Amazing." He passed a hand through his face. Max's skills were like if she came out of a videogame. "Kids nowadays."

For some weird reason, Max could picture Matt's shocked face at her abilities. "He praised me!" She said to herself and let out a breathed laugh.

Holding her katana tighly in her hand and with a big smirk on her face, Max on the half of her way she found Niki trying to block her path as the black haired girl yaw the car in front of Max and shot a few times to the floor near the redhead's feet to stop her. Max danced on her feet, dodging the bullets and then jumped to stick her katana in the motor of the car. She then found herself stuck on that position, in front of Niki's gun and her sword stuck on the car's motor.

"What th' hell are ya doin' here?!" Max snapped at her.

Niki slowly put the gun up, aiming at her. "This is the part where you give up, psycho."

"Oh~ Don't tell me you too?!" Max laughed out loud. "And hey! When did you learn to talk without stuttering?" Max slowly and threateningly walked forwards.

Niki lowered the gun aiming at Max's tigh. "Don't anything else." She was in calm or at least she seemed but her voice sounded dead serious.

"How about heck no?" Taking another step to challenge the other girl.

A gunshot. Niki pulled the trigger. Max, pulling her katana out of the car, used it to divert the bullet which turned out to hit someone's leg. The teenager smiled.

Niki frowned hard, it did really amuse her to hurt other people just to make her goal? Because it seemed like that.

Max lifted her katana and nailed it throught the front window of the car, direct to Niki's head. The other girl who was the target now, rolled and avoided the katana's edge, sighing she shot a bullet to Max's arm.

"AGH!-Ha.. Ha..." Max burst into a loud laugh. "I've been through worse, bitch. Don't ya think this is going to stop me!" With dificulty, Max used her opposite arm to take the control of the katana and pull it out of the window, breathing heavily for all the blood coming out of her arm, she raised the sword.

Niki got quickly out of the car and, doging the short and random attack of Max, knocked the other hard in the head with was supposed to be one of Mello's gun which she 'borrowed'.

Max fell unconsius to the concret of the street, surrounded by the blood that was coming out of her arm.

"Maxie!" Matt shouted, jumping out of the car as he watched that Max was lying on the floor with blood. "Shit.. Shit, no. We have to get her to a hospital!" Matt spatted back to Mello who was still in the car. He took Max's body, ignoring that Niki was there, and got her into the car on the back seat.

Mello took a look forward to see the building where Kira was at the distance, he was so close of being the first to catch him, but right now Max was complicating everything and she was the priority. He couldn't let her die of hemorragy. He then glared quickly at Niki, who was still standing there and looking at them like if nothing had happened. The black haired girl was useful, after all. Although this was an intelligency game and Mello did not know how smart Niki could be. This was a game where Max shouldn't be in. Did L had something planned for her? No one did know.

At least they stopped her from committing another murder including more people in this one.

Niki sprinted and got away of the scene, she was wearing sunglasses so most likely not too many people would recognize her again. She didn't went back to home but drived away some blocks of the building, waiting for the multitude around the blood to go away so she could enter to find Kira. Light Yagami.

Now, at this point, Light didn't know he had too many enemies being aware of his real identity. He was at clearly disadventage without even knowing it. He was the prey now, not the predator.


	15. At bay

Two days has passed already. Max recovered from the gunshot and Mello decided to handcuff her to a table with Matt watching her so they could avoid another incident like the last one. Her katana was hidden from her, everything seemed fine. Although she was mad at Mello for that. Lucky was Matt who had gained her trust since the beginning.

"Ramen?" Matt offered her since he wanted to cheer her up and he wasn't that hungry. Extending his arm with his chicken noodle soup towards her. He knew Max loved ramen so she couldn't say no.

"… Thanks." She gave him a half-smile and took the ramen.

* * *

L, Near and Natsuki were already on the old deposit. Near was sat on the floor with Natsuki standing behind him and some cops L had called to go to the place as backup. L was watching everything from the darkness on upstairs.

A few minutes more and Light should be arriving.

Natsuki had to repress the urge of walk around the place to let the stress out. She had to remain in her spot, behind Near.

"Nice to see you here, sister." Light said as he entered inside of the deposit, clearly aware that Natsuki was working now with Near since L was dead for him. It was obvious, she couldn't hide nothing from him and suddenly she went on a trip? Not a threat for him, Light thinks.

"I'd like to say the same." Natsuki retorted, how could she possibly be pleased about this? It was clear he was convinced he would win this so that's why she's still alive; otherwise she would be a dangerous enemy for everything she knew.

"Light Yagami." Near called, twirling a lock of his hair behind his ear.

"Near." Light said, narrowing his eyes at the other. He smiled on his thoughts, this was way too easy, he couldn't lose against this 'kid' and Mikami was just outside of the place. He eyed all the back up Near had. It was a pathetic try, knowing they all are going to die.

Natsuki looked at Ryuk who was behind the group with Light, then Light's note was the one that Aizawa had and Light gave Misa's note to Mikami.

The Shinigami waved slightly at her, didn't he knew what was happening or was he just that inappropriate? Yep, he was. He entered on Natsuki's room at night just to ask for apples, of course he is inappropriate.

Natsuki didn't wave back and Ryuk knew why so he did not care about it.

After the thirty minutes and forty second to prove that Kira wasn't there. They remained stood and waiting. Near took off his mask, showing his face and smiling to Light and his group.

"Well, that's better." Matsuda mumbled.

Near grabbed his toy that represented X-Kira and fit it on his finger. "The person that it's killing people as Kira is going to come for that door." He pointed out, calmly. "He's going to see our faces and write our names on the notebook." He moved his finger with the toy side to side.

The group flinched.

"W-what do you mean, Near?!" Matsuda interrupted, frowning.

"Let me finish." Near looked at the others. "He's using a fake notebook."

Light's expression didn't change, he seen that coming and he was enjoying his victory already on his mind. That made Natsuki frown since she knew Light would be aware of everything and think he's already the God of the new world but, his victory was not as assured as he thought.

"A fake notebook?" Aizawa repeated.

"Yes. But that's not what's going to stop him." Near said, grabbing three other toys. "Mello, Matt and Maxine are going to stop him—No, just Maxine." With the three toys on opposite hand, he approached Max's toy to Mikami's toy, making Mikami fall to the ground.

Light tried not to act surprised at that, his mind filled with questions about who were these three people and if they were another back up? How can this Max stop Mikami? He would write the real name before Max could be able to stop him, Light thought. He calmed down his thoughts, knowing this was just to put a little pressure on him. Nothing he couldn't handle.

"And who are these people you talk about?" Light asked to Near.

"Partners. From Wammy's house. Mello was also an option to be L's successor but Natsuki chose me." Near explained to Light.

Light glared at Natsuki, that kind of look made her feel something cold on her neck. The power was consuming him and it was awful to see how her brother was starting to become more crazy.

* * *

"Doesn't it feel better to be on a car instead of running like crazy down the streets?" Matt teased Max as they ride to the Yellow Box, where Near and Light where supposed to be. Max had learn to hack computers as he watched Matt do his magic and they had hacked the firewall to get the conversations of Near and Light, it was rather easy actually, like if Near wanted them to know.

Max grinned and shrugged her shoulders as she poked her head out of the window, her short hair moving on curves with the wind.

Mello was on his own way on another 'borrrowed' motorcycle. People should really never let they vehicles alone.

Max turned to the left and following the direction on the piece of paper that Max was reading to him they parked the car near to the old deposit, the rest of the way they were going to do it by just running in Max's case. Matt was just going to walk.

"C'mon lazy-ass!" Max turned to him and waved, motioning him to run to where she was.

Matt pressed a finger against his lips, telling her to shut up and then pointed forwards to a man that seemed like spying on the people inside of the Yellow Box.

Max nodded and unsheathed her katana. "Here you are. ~"

As the man started to write the names, something made him stop; the voice of a girl singing.

"_Twinkle, twinkle, little star~_" Max started to get closer to Mikami as she played with her sword. "_How I wonder what you are~"_

Mikami's eyes went just above her head to see her name. Maxine Bartlett. He turned again to his note and begun to write quickly her name.

And just when he was about to write the last three letters of her last name, she darted to his direction and stuck the katana right on his chest, making him scream awfully and painfully. "_Up above the world so high~!" _She continued to sing like if she didn't hear nothing and saw all the names on the Death Note, the only missing there was Light Yagami's name. Kira. "_Like a diamond in the sky~_" She sang on a whisper and looked at the door.

Everybody inside the deposit cringed at the scream, the police officers that were with Light pulled out their guns and prepared for the worse, Light just stared at the door. This was Near's plan?

"They're here and X-Kira is gone_._" Near told them, putting the toy of X-Kira away.

Matt, who was a feet away from her, was utterly amazed and terrified by how cold the girl could be. He got out of his shocked state by Mello's bike, who passed just a centimeters from him.

Mello yaw his motorcycle just next to Mikami's body, who was still struggling for his life. Max walked to the door and opened it, squeezing the handle of her katana that was covered in Mikami's blood which matched with her red hair. "_When the blazing sun is gone~_" She continued to sing, smiling as the door opened completely, "_When the nothing shines upon~_" The girl eyed everyone, smiling as she saw Near and Natsuki but then it fade away when she saw the brown haired man who was Kira. "_Then you show your little light~_" She emphasized the word 'Light' as she stared at Kira. "_Twinkle, twinkle, all the night~!_" Matt and Mello entered to the door and they eyes went directly to Light's direction. Max's iris was gone and she extended her arm with her katana to a side as she got near to Light, who couldn't help but move back.

Max smiled and swung her katana at Light, sadly she failed because Mello threw himself at her and grabbed her by one wrist, forcing her to fall to the ground, they needed the guy alive to put him behind bars.

"Mello… Get off… I need to finish Kira off." Max told him with a calm voice, pointing the edge of the sword towards Light.

"What's up with this girl?!" Matsuda complained about the crazy girl who was about to cut Light on a half.

"Near, you told us we were going to be just us." Light said, looking at the redhead on the floor. "You lie to all of us."

"We knew they were coming, just as you knew Mikami-san was coming, but you didn't told us that, did you?" Natsuki chimed in.

Light got irritated at her sisters' comment.

"I'm afraid I don't know who's this Mikami, sister."

"And you still call me sister?" Natsuki narrowed her eyes.

"You know, I'm curious about this, why the only name that it's not on this notebook it's yours?" Matt said, as he checked the names on the page and then showed the book to the other people. "Dude. You're Kira, give it up, you're fucked up."

"It's true." Matsuda said, "Light-kun is Kira."

"L was right, after all." Aizawa said.

Natsuki then remembered L was watching all this like if it were a movie, she didn't know where was he but she knew he was inside of the deposit.

Light panicked on his head, what's the next move now?

"Let me get him!" Max smiled with big eyes, as she struggle to get Mello's hand off her wrist which she did successfully. "Bye-bye!" She shouted at Light as she threw her katana at him, he dodged the first attack but the next attack was so fast and coordinated that it seemed like if Max practiced this fight like choreography before. She made a big wound on Light's shoulder and then one on his back.

"Light!" It slipped out of Natsuki's lips. Dammit, feelings.

"Max!" Matt yelled at her, now they had to control Max before they had to occupy of Light. He dropped the notebook and ran into her direction and just as a reflex, Max swung the katana to Matt, wounding him on the chest.

"Matt!" Mello focused on his friend who was on the floor coughing blood.

Light pulled out the paper that was hidden on his watch and with the blood of his shoulder he was ready to write Near's name, he would write Max's name but it was not complete on the note so he did not knew her full name.

A tear dropped out of Max eyes. Running to Light she cut his hand off, the blood spitting around and also on her face. Light's hand fell to the floor with all and watch and the fingers that he was using to write Near's name. He just got to write 'Nate'

"Control her!" Near yelled to the back up as they ran to Max. "No." He said to Natsuki, stopping her from joining to the fight against Max. "L doesn't want you dead and that's most likely what's going to happen if you get into Max's way to kill your brother."

"L doesn't want me … dead?" Natsuki murmured to herself, taking a step back to remain on her position behind Near.

Light stared at her sister. '_What does Near mean? L doesn't want her dead? Is he.. No, he can't be. I saw him dead._' And as he thought that, he then remembered that one of his hands was on the floor.

They managed to get the katana away from her after some serious wounds on the hands and body, then putting handcuffs they let her on Matt's charge.

"You're not going anywhere!" Natsuki stopped Light from running away, even if that was useless since he would die of hemorrhage before he knew it. She threw him to the floor.

"Natsuki-chan, control yourself." L said as he got out of his place where he was watching everything without being noticed.

Light stared with wide eyes at L, he repressed a scream.

One police officer screamed as he fell to the floor. Max had beaten him where it most hurts. That took everyone's attention for a moment, and Light took that as an advantage to ran away.

* * *

He ran without course, leaving blood behind him thanks to the many wounds he had. He just managed to ran a few feet after he collapsed on an alley. Breathing heavily, he felt how a prey who was about to be killed would feel. At bay. '_This is end, isn't it?_'

Natsuki ran out of the place and looked anywhere and even if Near and L told her it made no sense to do that, she did it anyway and noticed that Ryuk was on the top of the building across the deposit, writing something on his Death Note.

"Light…" She said for herself. She saw how the Shinigami flew away back again to his world. "He's dead!" She yelled at Max, the girl instantly calmed down and sat on the floor with a smirk on her lips. "It's over." Natsuki said, now there was no Kira, no more killings and just Mikami's note was the only thing left until they burned it.


	16. Author's note

(A/N): I wanted to make more chapters with this fic but due to some troubles and a huge writer block, I'm afraid I'll have to end this up here. I can't focus and think of something to keep the story. I also wanted to make another fic with Beyond Birthday and all but I'm not quite sure. Anyways, thanks so much for those who liked the fic. Peace off.


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